An educationist, Prof. Oyesoji Aremu, has urged the Federal Government to adopt multi-level policing, also known as state police, to address insecurity in Nigeria.
Aremu, also the Director, Distance Learning Centre, University of Ibadan, made the plea at a two-day 2nd International Conference on Science, Technology, Engineering and Humanities (ICSTEH).
It was organised by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP), Yaba College of Technology Chapter, Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that theme of the conference is: “Technology Applications and Management for Global Security’’.
Aremu spoke on: “Insecurity and Our Collective Failure: Reappraising Security Architecture for National Stability.’’
He said insecurity in Nigeria was multi-faceted, adding that the establishment of state police would address the challenge.
“There is no doubt that ours is a country with daunting security challenges. The insecurity in Nigeria is massive, multifarious and in diverse shades.
“For over two decades, there has been several calls by stakeholders, especially security experts and public opinions on the need to review the national policing architecture.
“Given its archaic policing strategies that are at variance with international best practices and current insecurity realities.
“Nigeria has, for long, deliberately got so many things wrong from independence.
“One of such crucial things is the floundering nature of unitary police bequeathed to the country which has hindered the nation’s federalism,’’ he said.
Aremu said many developed countries had adopted multi-level policing to fight crimes and insecurity, urging Nigeria to follow the same vain.
He said state police was the only way to go in the 21st century to reduce crimes, insecurity, kidnapping, terrorism and other vices confronting the country.
The educationist said that police in Nigeria were not capable of contending with the gale of terrorism, insurgency and kidnapping in the country.
“For a long time, the national police, as presently practiced in Nigeria, fractured in many ways, primarily security, and also renders same ineffective given visibility limitations and culture of incompetence, among other things.
“The federal police is also limited in many ways and not in tandem with the present security challenges and realities of the country.
“The bad thing is we are in serious security challenge and tension is increasingly building everywhere.
“One is not even sure of secured places, because the current insecurity discrepancies in our country, places like churches, mosques, higher institutions are no longer secured.
“The country should begin to address critical policy issues that will culminates in the establishment of multi-level policing.
“To achieve all these, all hands must be on deck. We are canvassing for the multi-level police.
“I am an unrepentant advocate of the establishment of a state police,” he said.
Earlier, Mr Obafemi Omokungbe, Rector of the college, commended the academic union for organising the conference to discuss issues that was relevant and affecting the nation.
Omokungbe urged participants to come up with recommendations that would help to address insecurity in the country.
He said insecurity was a mirage that must be quickly tackled.
Also, Dr Oyeniran Adigun, Chairman, Organising Committee, said that currently, the entire West African region had been facing security challenges and threats, which requires new ways to solve them.
Adigun said indeed, ensuring sustained peace and security in strategic and essential measures to safeguarding the productive process of stability at the regional level.
“The 2nd annual academic conference was to explore how technology, entrepreneurship, science, engineering and humanities can be effectively deployed in solving insecurity and economic development of our nation,” he said.
Earlier, Mr Nureni Yekini, ASUP Chairman, Yabatech chapter, said that the conference was organised in the interest of members of the union and the college community.
Yekini said all the papers presented in the maiden edition in 2018 were available online, adding that some were used for promotion from one cadre to another.
He said the conference had gone a long way to promote visibility of the college globally, as search for information on Internet, using any of the keywords of the paper presented at the conference.
“The keynote of this year conference was chosen by the union, as the national development and unity of the country were being threatened by insecurity of life and property,” he said. (NAN)
