UN Visit: Wike Calls for Establishment of State Police to Fight Insecurity

 

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has stated that the establishment of State Police would go a long way in resolving the current security challenges facing the country.

He posited that the present security structure makes it difficult for the Federal Police to respond quickly to security challenges.

Wike stated this on Wednesday when he granted audience to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, Ms. Callamard Agnes, at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

According to the governor, "We believe that there should be a State Police for us to effectively fight crime in the country. Our system is fashioned towards the United States which has federal, state and local police. Each of them has its responsibilities.

"In the present situation, if a crime is committed, the Commissioner of Police will first report to the Inspector General of Police (IG) before taking any action.”

Wike told the UN delegation that the state government established the state Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency to support security agencies with information, but the agency was frustrated for political reasons.

He said: "We established the Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency which would have helped the security agencies with information, but it was politicised by the federal government when they sent the Nigerian Army to ensure that it did not come to fruition.

"If the State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency was allowed, probably by now, we would have solved part of the security problems."

Speaking further, Wike said if the amended Electoral Act had been assented to by the president, electoral violence would have been reduced to the barest minimum, as there would not have been any incentive to snatch materials and manipulate the electoral process.

He berated the Nigerian army for allegedly perpetuating violence during the 2019 general election in Rivers State, adding that the negative actions of the army shocked several embassies in Nigeria.

The governor reiterated the commitment of the state government to the fight against cultism, saying the state government has initiated an anti-cultism law, which would be diligently implemented.

He said working with security agencies, the state government has intervened in the cult clashes in Ogoniland, adding that several arrests have been made in Khana Local Government Area, where cult groups dislodged some communities.

Earlier, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, Ms. Agnes, said she was interested in documenting the nature and extent of killings by state and non-state actors.

She said: "I am interested in how the federal and state governments respond to the challenges of violence by state and non-state actors.

"I would be grateful if you will share with us information on killings by the state and non-state actors.”