Insecurity: Yoruba chiefs seek establishment of state police

The Aare-in-Council, a 48-member body of chiefs serving under the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has urged governors and Houses of Assembly in the Southwest to fast-track the establishment of state police forces.

The council said a decentralised policing system would strengthen local security structures, enable faster responses to threats and allow security agencies to develop crime-prevention strategies suited to the peculiar challenges of the region.

The call was contained in a statement issued yesterday in Lagos by the Atoloye Aare Ona Kakanfo, Chief (Barrister) Babajide Tanimowo, on behalf of the council, after an emergency meeting to review the security situation in the Southwest.

According to the statement, the meeting reviewed security developments in the region over the past three months, with attention also given to Kwara, Kogi and other parts of the country.

The council’s demand came amid continuing concerns over kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry and other forms of criminality threatening lives, property and economic activities in parts of the country.

It said the governors should respond to the earlier appeals by the Aare Ona Kakanfo, through written communications, for greater collaboration among governments, security agencies and other stakeholders in securing the region.

The council said stronger collaboration would improve intelligence gathering, community engagement and coordinated responses to security threats.

It also drew attention to the Southwest Security Stakeholders Group (SSSG), which it said was led by Iba Adams and comprised 16 security-related groups with grassroots structures across the six Southwest states.

The statement said the group’s local knowledge and security intelligence could complement the efforts of formal security agencies.

READ ALSO: Northern senators seek urgent action on state police

“Iba Adams currently leads the Southwest Security Stakeholders Group (SSSG), consisting of 16 security-relevant groups with structures at the grassroots across the entire Southwest region.

“This group, with its native security intelligence and capacity, can be of immense help to the state security agencies in combating crimes decisively.”

The Aare-in-Council commended Iba Adams for his leadership of the regional security network, describing his patience, loyalty and commitment as crucial to sustaining the initiative despite what it described as attempts to undermine his authority.

The council also praised the Nigerian security forces for what it described as their “relentless and timely interventions” in addressing security threats, saying their efforts had contributed to a reduction in kidnapping and banditry in parts of the Southwest.

It, however, argued that the existing security architecture required greater local autonomy and empowerment to effectively address the region’s peculiar security challenges.

Beyond state police, the council urged communities across the Southwest to establish Community Security Networks that would work with the Amotekun Corps and the Nigeria Police Force to strengthen security at the grassroots.

It called on local government chairmen and community leaders to provide funding for such networks to ensure that they remain functional and effective.

The council described grassroots vigilance as an important component of the region’s security architecture, saying communities should be encouraged to take greater responsibility for protecting their immediate environment.

It urged governors, traditional rulers, security agencies, local governments and community organisations to close ranks and adopt a coordinated approach to tackling violence, banditry and other criminal activities threatening the stability of the Southwest.