If President Bola Tinubu is serious about the mantra of a renewed hope, then state police and state autonomy are sacrosanct to the security of human and development of Nigeria.
This was contained in a statement on Tuesday January 9, 2024 by the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere in the United Kingdom and Europe.
The statement issued by the group’s Secretary, Engr. Anthony Ajayi said the President Tinubu led-federal government should adopt political arrangements that best suit the Nigerian nature, context and composition to foster fast development as done in other countries of the world.
It said the insecurity ravaging most part of Nigeria particularly the recent killings in Plateau and Benue states would have been averted if there were state police. It added further that the Nigerian government can understudy the state police system in America and adopt it to tackle the menace in the country.
“America is a good example of how state police works. That type of structure can be replicated in Nigeria. It is not a rocket science. The state governments knows their states better than the federal government. The idea of trying to secure Plateau state from Abuja is the reason the level of insecurity is growing daily.
“Nigeria cannot develop and grow like other countries as long as the current structure is still in place. This structure is evil and destructive without regards for the masses”, the statement said.
It stated further that the current structure in Nigeria has given rise to insecurity, unemployment, poverty and anger pervading the entire country, adding that a new system to give states autonomy is necessary to achieve the President’s renew hope ideology.
The statement read, “Every election period, pressure are put on states and Local Governments to deliver votes yet the Local Governments in particular that supposed to bring development to the people does not have the financial autonomy to make positive impact on the people. Is this the system we should rely on to grow and develop? Many Nigerians are anticipating who will set the country in the right path. We cannot overcome economic challenges without having leaders with appetite to make the difference and unleash the growth potential of our dear country.
“We cannot continue to patronise practices that weigh on our development, weaken our potentials and mock our collective sensibilities. The Western Region under the leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, without oil money, used capitation tax and revenue from agriculture and mining to fund free education for over 800,000 pupils, built several roads, farm settlements, industrial estates, the first TV station in Africa, and the tallest building in Nigeria at the time, while still giving up 50 percent of its earnings from mining and minerals for allocation to the federal government and other regions.
“The current system has gone worse than envisaged with insecurity and high levels of corruption threatening the existence of Nigeria. Since massive corruption, insecurity, embezzlement of public fund, poor accountability, high cost of governance and abuse of constitution and constitutionalism have thwarted Nigeria’s socio-economic and political development, we therefore urged that states be given autonomy to establish own police to combat insecurity and manage their own resources to enable the people hold them responsible effectively.”
The group also called on the President Tinubu led-federal government to take the issue of electricity seriously in Nigeria if indeed he truly wants Nigerians to feel the dividends of democracy. It noted that the current 3,970.33 megawatts in Nigeria cannot help the country’s economy with huge population of over 226 million, adding that South Africa with a population of 60,716,680 is running on 58,095 megawatts.
It said, “It is really unfortunate that with available modern technologies to generate electricity and supply, Nigerians are still suffering lack of electricity. Electricity is one of the basic amenities a serious government should provide for its citizens.”
