President Muhammadu Buhari has again rejected the call for State Police as a panacea to the nation’s mounting security challenges.
The agitation has led to the setting up of regional security outfits by some State governments.
But despite the mounting pressure from State governments and regional socio-political organisations, President Buhari said State Police is not an option.
The President challenged Nigerians to question why the same Governors, who are in the forefront of the clamour for State Police, have not given granted autonomy to the Local Governments Councils in their States.
According to Buhari, “State Police is not an option. Find out the relationship between Local Governments and the Governors. Are the third tier of government getting what they are supposed to get constitutionally? Are they getting it? Let the people in the Local Governments tell you the truth — the fight between Local Governments and the Governor.”
He suggested a bigger role for traditional rulers in bringing peace to communities stating that the royal fathers know who is who in their localities.
“The role of traditional rulers must not be undermined, because in their areas they know who is who, even by families, not to even talk of individuals. So, we have to revert to that system for us to have effective security in the localities.”