The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Secretariat on Tuesday said
governors of the 36 states have collectively spent more than N2 trillion
in augmenting police operations nationwide in the last decade alone.
Mr Abdulrazaque Barkindo, Head, Media and Public Affairs, who made
this known in Abuja, said the amount, was outside the contributions of
Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe states, hitherto referred to as the
frontline states and critical flashpoints at the peak of the war against
insurgency in the country.
He said that the revelation was part of a research conducted by the
media department of the NGF monthly magazine “The Executive Summary”
July edition.
He said that the purchases by the governors have covered such items
as Hilux trucks, Armoured Personnel carriers, Helicopters, River Gun
Boats, Horses, Communication equipment, uniforms and handcuffs among
others.
“For example, the magazine which has as its cover story State Police:
The Time is Now, related that in 2015 alone Lagos State, under Governor
Akinwunmi Ambode spent over N4.765bn on helping to sustain the Federal
Police.
“It also reported that in subsequent years going forward, the state
also bought and donated to the police, 100 four-door Saloon cars, 55
Ford Ranger Pick-up trucks and 10 Toyota Landcruiser Pick-up trucks.
“These also include 15 BMW power-bikes, 100 Isuzu trucks, three
helicopters, two gunboats, 15 Armoured Personnel Carriers, revolving
lights, sirens, communication gadgets, helmets, handcuffs among many
other police requirements,” he said.
Barkindo added that looking at the donations in retrospect, Ambode’s
predecessor, Babatunde Raji Fashola also donated 50 patrol vehicles, 10
Armoured Personnel carriers, 100 walkie-talkies and 200 bullet-proof
jackets.
He added that the state government also established an ICT Resource Centre for the police in Lagos State.
“It is not Lagos alone that has donated generously to the police.
Kano, Kaduna, Kwara, Cross Rivers, Ebonyi and Abia States have all, at
various times, donated generously to the police force towards ensuring
the safety and security of their peoples and their property,” he added.
He recalled that in July 2017 the Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim
Idris approached the NGF at their meeting in Aso Rock Villa seeking
cap-in-hand, the sum of N3trilion as assistance from states.
He said that the magazine also quoted the lamentations of some of the
state governors, who in spite of these donations had been unable to
enjoy even the partial loyalty of the federal police at their most
critical hour of need.
He said that Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State, for example, was
quoted in the magazine as saying “I am sitting here as governor, but I
cannot control one police troop whenever crises break in my state.”
“His Zamfara State counterpart and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’
Forum, Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar had, at one time, even relinquished his
position as the Chief Security Officer of his state, in frustration.
“The report added that even Benue State, which very recently had its
state assembly sealed and overtaken by the Nigeria Police Force, had
spent a substantial part of its security vote in ameliorating the
problems of the same police force that was to later humiliate the state.
“Indeed, to give spice to the argument for the agitation of the
states, the National Assembly only recently lent its voice to the
agitation by state governors and also endorsed the formation of state
police, saying it is about time.
“Most others who canvas the same position as the governors allude to
the countries whose system Nigeria is emulating, saying community
policing is a necessity if crime is to be prevented and insurgency is to
be curtailed to the barest minimum,” he added.
Daily Post