• States get nod to strengthen forest guards in battle against bandits, kidnappers
Proponents of state police scored a major victory yesterday.
The Federal Government yielded to calls by states and eminent Nigerians for it.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said the modalities for its establishment and operation will be designed shortly.
President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima met with governors, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS) and ministers – FCT, Agriculture and Information – at the State House.
The emergency meeting, which was held at the Council Chambers, took decisions on how to tackle rising food costs and insecurity, among others.
President Tinubu also said more personnel would be recruited for the police.
Ahead of that, he urged states to strengthen their forest rangers/guards.
Bandits encamp in the forests from where they launch attacks.
Kidnappers also take their victims into the forest where they are kept during negotiations for ransom payments.
The President called for collaboration to enable states to increase local food production.
He believes enough food can be produced locally to avoid imports.
President Tinubu pleaded with governors to pay salary arrears, pension and gratuities since states now get more revenue from the federation account.
“Spend the money, don’t spend the people,” President Tinubu told the governors.
The President said his administration was evolving home-grown solutions to food security challenges.
He okayed the establishment of a committee comprising governors and representatives of the Federal Government to, among others, explore the modalities for establishing state police.
The President further endorsed the training and equipping of forest rangers by sub-national governments to safeguard human and natural resources in local communities.
According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicly, Ajuri Ngelale, the President said: ‘’My position at this meeting is that we must move aggressively and establish a committee to look critically at the issues raised, including the possibility of establishing state police.
“From Kano, we have read reports about large-scale hoarding of food in some warehouses.
“The National Security Adviser (NSA), the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services should coordinate very closely and ensure that security agencies in the states inspect such warehouses with follow-up action.
“We must ensure that speculators, hoarders, and rent seekers are not allowed to sabotage our efforts in ensuring the wide availability of food to all Nigerians.
“What I will not do is to set a price control board. I will not also approve the importation of food.
“We should be able to get ourselves out of the situation we found ourselves in because importation will allow rent seekers to perpetrate fraud and mismanagement at our collective expense.
“We would rather support farmers with the schemes that will make them go to the farm and grow more food for everyone in the country.
“We must also look at the rapid but thoughtful implementation of our livestock development and management plans, including dairy farming and others.”
President Tinubu urged the governors to trust the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with the monetary policy.
He emphasised the importance of allowing designated institutions to fulfil their mandate.
He said the “cacophony of postulations” on the fluctuation of foreign exchange rates was unduly affecting the market negatively.
“Every one of us cannot be an expert. If we have given someone an assignment, let us allow them to do it.
“If they cannot do it, then we find a way to quickly get them out of the system,” the President said.
President Tinubu asked the governors to always make the welfare and prosperity of the people a priority of their development programmes.
He assured them that the Federal Government would continue to work diligently to improve the nation’s revenue profile.
The President and the governors stressed the importance of working together to address issues of insecurity, food security, and out-of-school children.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) affirmed the governors’ commitment to partnering with the Federal Government.
In a subsequent briefing, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, elaborated on the meeting’s outcome.
He was accompanied by Governors Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Ubah Sani (Kaduna) and Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta).
The minister said: “At this point, the nation requires food to be brought out so that we can control prices and put food on the table of most Nigerians.
“Other commodity traders are busy hoarding these commodities so that Nigerians will suffer or they will make more money as a result.
“So the governors and Mr. President have taken this decision that security agencies will collaborate with the state governors to ensure that this ends.”
On insecurity, the minister said: “Mr. President and the governors discussed the possibility of improving the numerical strength of forest rangers.
“There were also discussions on state police. The Federal Government and the state governments are mulling the possibility of setting up state police.
“Of course, this is still going to be further discussed. A lot of work has to be done in that direction.
“Both the Federal Government and the state governments agree on the necessity of having state police.
“This is a significant shift. More work needs to be done in that direction.”
