TheCable

Abiola Ajimobi, governor of Oyo state, says there is a need for the creation of state police in order to fight crime effectively. 

He said this on Wednesday while hosting Leye Oyebade, the assistant inspector-general of police (AIG) in charge of zone 11.

“I am one of the pioneer advocates of state police,” he said.

“There is nowhere in the world where crime is effectively combated without state police. We refer to state governors as chief security officers, but we have no control over the commissioner of police.

“Some will argue that the governor will take undue advantage of a state police under his watch. But, do they consider the challenges of having only one person controlling the police in the 36 States and the federal capital?

“Until we do some structural adjustment to the policing system in Nigeria, we may not have the desired results. Having said that, generally Nigeria, and Oyo state in particular, still have security challenges.”

If established, the governor said state police would benefit good relationship with the community.

He also said the current police need modern technology to operate effectively.

“In order to ensure effective and more efficient policing, I opine that the police needs modern technology,” he said.

“Technology must help policing. Look at the developed countries, when a crime is committed, even before it happens the police would have been hinted.

“They have informants that are working very well. They have a communication system that is very effective and they have the public supporting them. How well are members of the public supporting the police here?”

The bill to establish state police had scaled second reading at the house of representatives.

President Muhammadu Buhari, however, described state police as more financial burden, asking how many states would be able to pay salaries promptly.