The Ondo state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has raised the alarm that terrorists are moving southward to take refuge in the forests.
Akeredolu, while hosting the new Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) of police in charge of the state’s zone 17, Yunnus Akeera, on Thursday, July 7, also reiterated the need for the creation of state police to ensure security of lives and property.
He noted that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is overstretched, understaffed and lacks the capacity to adequately secure the lives of people.
Akeredolu said, “We do not run away from the fact that the police force is overstretched. The same way we do not run away from the fact that a single police command in Abuja will not be adequate to police the large populace of the country, and this has led to my demand for state police.
“We can complement each other. I have had senior police officers who agree on state police. Maybe they can’t say it in public.
“Go to Ekiti and even here in Ondo state, most of the police stations have no vehicle.
“Look at the unfortunate incident that happened in Owo town, police said they had no vehicle to pursue the perpetrators.
“Let us all sit down and agree that we should have a system that will create division of labour. We can have the federal police and then, the state police.
“You can face a major task like intelligence gathering, and pass it to the state police to work on.
“What is happening, if not for lack of intelligence, terrorists will not go to Kuje, and attack the place in Abuja.
“We need your cooperation in this cry for a dual police system that we can work together. People are moving down south to take refuge in our forest.
“You don’t have the men and officers to secure the country. Police is understaffed. We appreciate your limitations in terms of men, ammunition and so on,” Akeredolu added.
Meanwhile, the new AIG, Yunnus Akeera, who was accompanied to the governor’s office by the state commissioner of police (CP), Oyediran Oyeyemi, stated that he would carry on with the good work the governor has done on security and deepen it, The Punch reports.
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