Insecurity: Obasanjo Makes U-turn, Agitates For State Police

Amidst growing insecurity in Nigeria, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for the need to create state police to tackle the menace of insecurity.

He said the case of insecurity in the country has gone beyond community policing, seeking the government to hasten the creation of state police to put an end to waves of insecurity in the country.

In 2012, the former president had rejected notions to create state police arguing that it will take Nigeria back to the past.

He said the nation cannot afford to experience the same misuse of power that occurred in the 50s.

In a new twist, a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi quoted Obasanjo to have agitated for state police on Wednesday when the leadership of the National Association of Ex-local government chairmen in Nigeria paid him a courtesy visit in Abeokuta.

Obasanjo spoke on the need to strengthen the traditional system and the local government administration.

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He said, “Our situation in Nigeria concerns everyone, particularly, the case of terrorism. The case has gotten over the issue of community police. It is now state police. It is from that state police that we can now be talking about community police.

“I prepared during the popular Murtala/Obasanjo administration, because I believe that there is need to enable that tier of government to work truly as a local government. They have their own Executive, Judiciary and Legislature.

“They were working and they were very visible, building and managing roads, looking into education, health, local administration, agriculture, but they were all gone.”

Obasanjo, assured them that he would always be available when need by the association and told them he would look into their request to make him their life patron.

Speaking on the initiative, Obasanjo who commended the people behind the formation of the body, said that the development clearly showed that some local chairmen in the country were better than even the top elected leaders.

Earlier, the pioneer National chairman of the association, Hon. Albert Ashipa told the former President why they decided to come together in all the 774 local governments in the country, saying, “We can also contribute to the economy and political developments of the country.

“And realising your position as father of local government in Nigeria, we need you to actualise our goals, hence this all important visit. And to come and say happy 85th birthday celebrations.”