Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba state has advised the Federal Government to try the creation of state police in addressing the security challenges in the country.
Ishaku gave the advice in his remarks at a news conference organised by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at the party national secretariat in Abuja, yesterday.
The conference also featured Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Enyinaya Abaribe, and former president of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki.
According to Gov. Darius, the primary responsibility of any democratic government was to secure the people and their property.
He said state governors were going through serious security challenges but are helpless in managing the insecurity as they have no power over security.
“No matter how bad the state police, let us experiment it. After all, we have the State Electoral Commission. After all the state governments are running the elections of the states.
“In my state, oppositions win elections; we allow them to go, nothing is wrong we are going peacefully.
“ So, who is telling me that the State Police will fail? Let us try and let it fail, then we will reverse, but not trying at all does not give us anything different. We will still continue where we are.
“ In any case, in a country of over 200 million people, how can you expect the management of police to be at the centre?
“Our constitution was copied from the USA, and in America, you have the local police, you have the state police, and you have the National Police.
“What is greater than the local police, take it to the state police. What is bigger than the state police goes to the National Police,” Ishaku said.
The governor stressed on the need to ensure that police handle issue of internal security, while the military protect the territorial sovereignty of the country, as a last resort for war.
He also advised the Federal Government to adequately train Nigeria security personnel and equip them with the necessary technology and equipment.
“If my ADC cannot protect himself, how can he protect other people? You must first protect yourself as a policeman and as a military officer before you can protect other people.
“I will appeal that we should give adequate attention to equipping military forces,” he said.
Ishaku urged the ruling party to look into advice from the PDP, saying PDP is ready to give a helping hand to the APC-led government developing the country.
Similarly, Abaribe described PDP as a responsible party interested in the peace and development of the country.
He said that contrary to some views that the PDP was a weak opposition, “PDP is actually responsible for the position.”
The Senate Minority Leader explained that what people were doing was comparing PDP to the APC when they were not in power, expecting PDP to act the same way APC did.
“We are not. We had been in power before and we know the responsibilities of having power and we do not want to speak just like anybody on the street.
“So, we weigh our words, we look at the situation and we do not want to be an opposition that wants to destroy rather, an opposition that wants to build,” he said.
Abaribe added that those, who wanted to destroy Nigeria,
