The decisions of 20 state governors that are yet to speak on the proposed establishment of state police are expected to be made known in the coming weeks, according to a statement by the Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Asishana Okauru, who spoke in an exclusive interview with one of Nigeria’s national dailies, Sunday PUNCH.
16 out of 36 Governors had earlier spoken out of their support for the launch of the State Police which has been a bone of contention over the past decade.
Speaking, Okauru said, 20 governors were already in the process of submitting their reports, and would turn them in a few weeks from now.
“The official position of the forum is in favour of state police. I don’t know of any state that is not in support of state police. I can tell you that I don’t know of any state not in support of the idea. That the governors have not submitted their reports for now is not saying they are not in support of it (state police).
“They are in the process of submitting their reports and I can tell you that in the next couple of weeks that would have been resolved. This is the only way to go. The forum has come a long way. So, there’s a very strong consensus in support of state police.”
He further gave an insight on the funding of State Police.
“Even the way the police structure is configured, funding is still an issue. So, the funding issue will always be there. In some other countries, the police institution is to some extent revenue-generating. You know, it has revenue-generating potential. I mean, if done well, you know that everybody will agree to it. Let’s accept that the funding issue will always be there whether it is done centrally or you are for state police.
“Another point that must be made is that it is not because some states have not submitted their reports that the idea hasn’t taken off. It became very clear after the last meeting that they needed to speed up whatever report they were putting together in respect of state police and submit it. So, a maximum of about four weeks, and it should be done,” he added.
President Bola Tinubu had on Thursday, February 15, 2024, aligned with the Governors on the need to establish state police as recommended to curb rising insecurity in the country.
Also, on the 20th of February, the House of Representatives approved a bill for the nation’s state police to be established for second reading.
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