As part of the measures to address the increasing prices of food and hunger in the country, the federal government on Tuesday disclosed its plan to release food from the storage facilities across the country. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who made this known after a meeting of the Presidential Committee on Emergency Food Intervention in Abuja, said President Bola Tinubu is concerned about the pains Nigerians are going through as it concerns food availability and affordability and is taking concrete steps to alleviate the suffering. Nigerians need to be thankful to the women and youth of Niger State, who earlier in the week took to the streets of the state capital, Minna, to protest against hunger and hardship in the nation. That action has awoken the authorities from their slumber and they are now running helter skelter to see that more food is made available to the citizens.
\nIncidentally, even the government knows that the release of food from the National Food Reserve is just a stopgap measure to the serious problem and that the sooner actions that will bring about permanent solutions to that challenge and stop Nigerians from dying of hunger and starvation were taken, the better for the country. How long will the food to be released last? And what is the assurance that when it is released it will get to poor masses? How are we sure that the politicians and those in the chain of distribution will not divert a greater quantity to themselves and release just a handful to the public? The federal government needs to show more commitment to the challenges facing the country.\u00a0 There should be sincere efforts towards dealing with the deplorable state of security across many parts of the country, including the Federal Capital Territory. It is no news that many farmers can no longer access their farm lands for fear of being killed or kidnapped by terrorists and bandits. Consider the latest attacks in Plateau and Benue States which left hundreds of people dead, their houses destroyed and bags of their harvested grains carted away by the bandits.
\nA particular farmer from Kaduna State recently told a story of how, upon losing his job in a furniture company in Abuja, he borrowed money from a money lending institution to go into farming. It was a bumper harvest for him as he got over 40 big bags of maize and beans. He had negotiated with the buyers and was waiting for them to come, pay and carry them when bandits invaded his village and carried all the bags of grains, including his hoes.The most painful thing is that he, just like many other farmers who take the risk of going to farms to produce food for Nigerians to eat, \u201csettled\u201d the bandits heavily to enable him access his farms and do any farm work. So, it is imperative that the government sincerely deals with insecurity in the nation to enable farmers to go back to their villages and farms. And with the current level of insecurity, the sophistication and all that, it is obvious that the 370, 000 federal policemen can no longer cater for the security of the over 200million Nigerian population.\u00a0 Police devolution is absolutely important now more than ever before to ensure adequate security of lives and property of Nigerians. The clamour for state police must be considered now. Yes, over the years, there has been an argument that Nigeria is not ripe for state police because governors, politicians and well-to-do people in the states will abuse the police and use them for the oppression and intimidation of their opponents and the poor.
\nValid as that proposition may be, it lacks substantive weight when weighed against the gains of state police in the present daunting security challenges in the country. Last week, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors forum, for the umpteenth time, made a case for state police, saying that the decentralisation of the security apparatus, including the police, will go a long way in addressing the current security challenges facing the country. Speaking during a visit to Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State, the governors noted that \u201cThe ratio of police to the citizens is very low and the governors know the peculiarity of their states and how to tackle this challenge.\u201dSimilarly, the governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo, during a book launch a few\u00a0 days ago, noted that decentralisation of the police, strengthening of the institutions and a review of the 1999 Constitution are inevitable steps to take towards addressing insecurity and other challenges facing the country. Some past leaders like Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, some notable religious, ethnic and professional groups have also lent their voices to the clamour for decentralisation of police as a way of stemming insecurity in Nigeria
\n. It is important that authorities, particularly the National Assembly set politics aside, reconsider the traditional centralised law enforcement model and explore the benefits that state police could bring to the table and take necessary steps to actualise it.One of the benefits of state police is depth of localised expertise. Nigeria is a nation with distinct cultural, social, and economic differences among its states. State police forces, intimately familiar with the dynamics of their respective regions, are better positioned to address and prevent crime effectively. This local knowledge can enhance community policing initiatives, fostering trust and collaboration between law enforcement and the public. A major advantage of state police is quick response. In almost all the attacks in communities across the country, the survivors narrate how the late arrival of the police or other law enforcement to the scene resulted in more damage and deaths. In a country as vast and varied as ours, response time is crucial. State police can provide quicker responses to incidents within their jurisdiction, minimising the impact of criminal activities. Moreover, the flexibility inherent in state police allows for the development of tailored policing strategies, addressing specific challenges unique to each state. Also, State police, by virtue of being closer to the communities they serve, have the potential to build stronger relationships with residents.
\nThis proximity not only facilitates better understanding of local issues but also encourages citizens\u2019 participation in crime prevention efforts. Increase trust between law enforcement and the public can contribute significantly to maintaining peace and order.Many times, we have heard some state governors lament over their inabilities to curtail raging crime and insecurity in their domain because the state police commissioners would not take instructions from them rather they wait for directives from Abuja. Most times, before the directive comes a great harm must have been done. It therefore makes a great sense that the police are decentralised to give the governors more power over the security affairs of their states. It is a known fact that the bulk of the financing of the federal police is done by the state governors. So, financing the state police might not be a big issue as being speculated by some people. Rather, as State police allow for a more localised approach to resource allocation, states can tailor their budgets and resources to address specific security challenges prevalent in their regions. This ensures that law enforcement agencies are equipped to handle the issues most pressing to their communities, leading to more efficient resource utilisation
\nHowever, despite the immense benefits of state police, the concerns about potential abuse of power, political interference, and coordination issues between states must be addressed. Implementing robust oversight mechanisms, strict adherence to professional standards, and fostering inter-agency collaboration can mitigate these risks. Conclusively, the establishment of state police in Nigeria represents a crucial step towards enhancing the nation\u2019s security apparatus. Recognising the unique needs of each state and empowering local law enforcement to address these needs directly can lead to a more effective and responsive policing system. Striking the right balance between local autonomy and centralised coordination is key to navigating the challenges and reaping the benefits of a state police system in Nigeria. It is time for the nation to embrace this reform and work towards a safer and more secure future and availability of food at affordable prices for all its citizens.<\/p>\n

Calista Ezeaku<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As part of the measures to address the increasing prices of food and hunger in the country, the federal government on Tuesday disclosed its plan to release food from the storage facilities across the country. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who made this known after a meeting of the Presidential Committee on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[22],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n