Governor Seyi Makinde has called on the Federal Government to stop delaying the establishment of state police, insisting that Nigerians have waited too long for a decentralised policing system.
The Oyo State governor made the statement during the joint mega rally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the APM held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Makinde said the continued discussions around state police without concrete action amount to wasting the time of Nigerians, especially at a period when insecurity remains a major concern across the country.
According to him, governors in the South-West region had earlier pushed strongly for the creation of state police, but after failing to secure approval, they established the regional security outfit known as Amotekun in 2020 as an alternative measure.
The governor explained that Amotekun was introduced to strengthen local security and support conventional security agencies in tackling rising criminal activities within the region.
“We wanted state police. It was because we couldn’t get the state police that we established Amotekun as a stop-gap,” Makinde stated during the rally.
Speaking further, the governor argued that states do not need to depend entirely on the Inspector-General of Police or federal authorities before creating structures that address local security challenges.
He noted that the South-West states successfully worked through their various Houses of Assembly to provide the legal backing needed for the establishment of Amotekun across the region.
Makinde, however, pointed out that Lagos State was the only South-West state that did not establish the security outfit, claiming that the decision was influenced by President Bola Tinubu’s opposition to the initiative.
According to him, if state assemblies are granted the necessary powers and political leaders show commitment, state police can become operational within a short period of time.
The governor also described insecurity as one of the major challenges his administration has focused on since assuming office, adding that the inability to secure approval for state policing made Amotekun necessary in Oyo and other South-West states.
His comments come amid growing security concerns in Oyo State following the abduction of pupils, students, and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area.
On May 15, gunmen reportedly attacked three schools located in the Ahoro-Esin-Ele/Yawota area and abducted about 32 persons, including 18 primary school pupils, seven secondary school students, and seven teachers.
Reports later confirmed that one of the kidnapped teachers was killed by the abductors, further raising concerns over insecurity in the state.
