A former Minister of Defence, Tokunbo Kayode, has stated that the creation of state police in Nigeria is no longer negotiable if the current insecurity situation in the country is to be doused.
He noted that it would help check ongoing cases of insurgency, banditry, and kidnapping in the country.
The former defence minister stated this at the burial ceremony of his mother-in-law, late Mrs. Wonuola Victoria Olufoye, at Akunu-Akoko, Akoko North East Local Government Area of Ondo State at the weekend.
Kayode, who said he would miss his mother-in-law of 35 years for her humility, kindness and convivality, called for a paradigm shift in the way security of the nation is being operated.
According to him, “The challenges we have had been building up overtime and it was inevitable that this will happen.
“I recall, in 2011 just before I left the Ministry of Defence, there was a report by US intelligence team that this exact thing would happen.
“They predicted 2030 and they said that this was not a novelese prognostication, that is a wicked prediction, that this is what would happen unless we took certain steps. That was in 2011 as I was about to leave government and I recall forwarding this to the authorities.
“Now we have almost lost it. I said almost because you see Nigeria is a continuum, Nigeria will always remain. But whether we want to remain in peace or in pieces, or whether we want to really do the right thing, is a separate thing.
“And I want to advise that the government should do the right thing. You see when you’re doing the same thing the same way all the time, you can’t expect a different result. We must change our tactics.
“For instance, the issue of state police is already a done deal. So, dragging one’s leg is a waste of time. It’s going to happen. Not only that the community policing which again the governmwnt talks about all the time, since even during the time of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the government has always wanted to do this but they’ve not been able to. Why? Because we continue to use the same template.
“Let’s change the template, take a decision we must have this community policing. We can call it any name.
“Imagine when we have officers, for instance in this village, who cannot speak the local language, they don’t know anybody, they are strangers. The same thing when you have the bulk of the officers in the North from the Southwest and Southeast, they can’t speak the local language, they don’t know anybody,
“And you see, the first law of intelligence is information. It’s being able to hear, to understand. That has to be changed.
“All Commissioners of Police should be posted to their regions for starters. You can post the CP for Anambra, he can come from Imo, it doesn’t matter. Or you can post the CP for Ondo, he can come from Ekiti. But first of all, post them to their regions as the first step immediately, it will help to control things.
“Policemen are being killed in some parts of the country. Let me assure you, if those policemen were indigenes, they would be reluctant to attack them. So, let’s start with that first. But community policing is a done deal. It will happen.
“Thirdly the military is already overtasked and they are short of staff. We know this and government knows this. I knew this when I was there and I tried in my own way to suggest how this should be done.
“Let us democratize recruitment into Nigeria military services. Recruit from the local government. We all know the schools in Nigeria, we all know the schools in each local government. Every young man, 16 years old, that has fitness, after school certificate, should be able to go to the local government office and sign up to join any of the services. Then you line them up and call them.
“Stop taking money to allow people to join our services. It is wrong. It was there when I was there, I tried everything within my power. But again when you spend one year in a place, you aren’t going to do much. I’m not giving an excuse, what I’m saying is this is one of the ways forward.
“We must democratize recruitment into our services, we need a lot of officers. Right now we don’t know maybe we have just hundred thousand soldiers. What is that in a country of 200million and we have our youths roaming the streets and devil is finding work for them.
“For instance, I remember former President Goodluck Jonathan approved the establishment of military training depots at least I recall about four or five of them. As far as I’m concerned, there should be military training depot in every state, simple.
“Go to the police now. We have more officers than we have recruits. We need to bring young people, develop the base first. Before we start talking of officers, the main issue is having foot soldiers on the ground not officers.
“For instance, if you have one ASP or a lieutenant in the army, you should have at least 50 soldiers under his command. So, where are they?
“Secondary school leavers these days don’t have any means, they have nothing.
“Pay them, every labourer is entitled to his wage. We must reform the way we pay them. Our police must be well paid. And there should be serious discipline. So, that if a policeman is living beyond his means, it’s easy to know.
“Finally, all the Amotekun and other security arrangements, we have retired commissioners of police in every state, directors of SSS, retired top officers of NIA in every state in this country, they should be encouraged, allowed and supported to help organise this local services. That is their work they will do it.”
