Oyo Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has mocked governors in Nigeria over reference as “chief security officer” of their states.
He spoke while insisting that only state police would save Nigeria and stem the tide of insecurity threatening the peace of the country.
The governor restated this position while hosting the Assistant Inspector-General of police in charge of Zone 11, Mr Leye Oyebade, in his office, in Ibadan, on Wednesday.
Ajimobi said that state police would have the benefit of good community relations, adding that increase in the funding of the police force and adequate provision of logistics would also boost the morale of the personnel.
Ajimobi said, “I am one of the pioneer advocates of state police. 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.
“In order to ensure effective and more efficient policing, I opine that the police needs modern technology. 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 governor, however, urged the rank and file of the police to change the perception of the masses who did not see the police as their friends as the police would want them to believe.
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