Insecurity: Afenifere Rejects IGP’s 60-Month Timeline for State Police

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately commence the implementation of State Police as a measure to address the worsening insecurity across the country.

Afenifere’s Secretary-General, Sola Ebiseni, said Nigerians could not afford to wait for the 60-month gestation period reportedly proposed by the Inspector-General of Police, Tunde Disu, for the take-off of State Police.

Ebiseni said this on Thursday during a stakeholder meeting in Akure, he argued that before the amalgamation of Nigeria, various ethnic nationalities maintained identifiable territories with local security structures capable of protecting their people and defending their communities against external aggression.

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According to him, the federal arrangement was significantly altered during military rule, particularly with the introduction of a centralized policing system that places security operations under the control of the President through the Inspector-General of Police.

He said the arrangement had weakened state governments, leaving them unable to effectively secure lives and property within their jurisdictions or enforce laws enacted by their respective legislatures.

Ebiseni further stated that Nigeria has become a target of international terrorism driven by groups that disregard state boundaries, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

He noted that combating terrorism requires collaboration beyond national borders and should not be viewed as a surrender of sovereignty.

The Afenifere chieftain maintained that there is now broad national consensus on the need for State Police, stressing that any further delay could worsen the country’s security challenges.

“Contrary to the published content of the IGP memo, State Police cannot wait for a 60-month gestation period. Its structure and recruitment should not be determined by the Federal Police, nor should it be constituted by as much as 60 per cent of federal police officers from the state concerned,” he said.

Ebiseni added that State Police formations must possess firepower comparable to that of the Federal Police and the criminal elements they are expected to confront.

He pointed to the Southwest Security Network, Amotekun, as a viable foundation for State Police in the region.

“In Yorubaland, the Amotekun Regional Security Network only requires immediate upgrading into State Police with appropriate firepower and continuous training. The personnel are physically and mentally prepared for the task ahead,” he stated.

He warned that prolonged delays in establishing State Police could create a dangerous security vacuum that may trigger ethnic conflicts as communities resort to self-help for protection.

Ebiseni also urged political leaders not to politicize the country’s security challenges, describing insecurity as a national issue that requires collective action, similar to the united response against the COVID-19 pandemic.

While commending the military and other security agencies for their efforts against insurgency and terrorism, he cautioned personnel against any temptation or encouragement to interfere in Nigeria’s democratic governance.