INSECURITY: Northern govs, traditional rulers back creation of state police
Northern Nigerian governors and traditional rulers have thrown their weight behind the establishment of state police, saying it was the way to curtail the high level of insecurity in Nigeria, especially in the North.
Northern Governors’ Forum (NoGF) on Tuesday met with the Northern Traditional Rulers Council (NTRC) in Abuja and came out with a resolution calling for the establishment of state police to tackle security challenges in the region and the nation as a whole.
According to the communique issued at the end of their meeting held at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, the Northern political and traditional leaders reviewed the security situation in the North and other matters relating to its development and resolved to support the amendment of the constitution to accommodate the establishment of state police.
The communique, which was read by the chairman of the Forum and governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon Simon Lalong, said having state police would effectively and efficiently address the security challenges of the region.
The NGF, in a statement issued in Jos, Plateau State, by the director of press and public affairs to Governor Lalong, Dr. Simon Makut Macham, also reiterated its commitment to the development of solar energy in view of the comparative advantage of abundant sunshine in the region.
Accordingly, it was unanimously resolved that 2,000 megawatts of solar power be harvested across the 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, with a view to harnessing the huge potential of power from solar.
The Northern governors also engaged officials of the World Bank to discuss the level of implementation of the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) and Nigeria for Women Project which are being implemented in five Northern states.
Also, according to a press statement issued by the spokesman of Gombe State governor, Isma’ila Uba Misilli, who accompanied his principal, Inuwa Yahaya, to the meeting, governors of Katsina, Kaduna, Kebbi, Borno, Niger, Taraba and deputy governors of Adamawa, Benue, Nasarawa and Jigawa states attended the meeting.
On the part of the traditional rulers, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, led other traditional rulers, including the Shehu of Borno, Emirs of Kano, Zazzau, Fika, Lafiya, Anka and Gumi, as well as the Attah Igala, Ochi Doma, and Aku Uka of Wukari among others.
The leaders, according to the statement, discussed security issues, women development, agriculture, trade and investment and the role of traditional rulers in engendering peace and security in the northern region.
It noted that during the meeting, there were presentations by development partners, including Nigeria for Women Project (NFWP) and Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), both funded by the World Bank.
“The governors also received updates on Northern Nigeria Renewable Energy Project (NNREP), Nigeria Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L- PRES) and Kaduna Textile Limited (KTL) among others,” it added.
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