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.”
No comments:
Post a Comment