Umahi proposes state policing as way forward to tackling security in the country

Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, has proposed state policing as the way forward to tackle the problems of security in the nation.

He stated this on Monday when he highlighted the steps being taken by governors in the region to ensure the security of the lives and properties of people in the South East.

Umahi, who is also the Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum, spoke during his appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

Governor Umahi stressed that leaders in the country must act fast to address the security challenges the nation was grappling with.

He also asked them, especially the lawmakers in the Senate and House of Representatives chambers of the National Assembly and other legislative houses to put the interest of the people ahead of personal interests.

The governor said, “We as a nation cannot continue to go like this, we cannot fold our hands and continue to see the lives of our people being wasted.

“This is very important; state police should be advocated for and what our leaders should know is that you don’t make a law to suit you.”

He, therefore, challenged the lawmakers to take advantage of the process to review the nation’s Constitution and push for state police.

According to the governor, this will give confidence to the people because insecurity in various communities is peculiar to those communities.

He, however, explained that governors in the south-east region were being careful with the issue of state police in order not to be misunderstood.

Umahi noted that the governors were doing quite a lot but some people, including the Ohanaeze, still find it difficult to understand them.

He insisted that state police was the way to go, although it has its own problems.

The governor said, “I have not seen any governor that comes to speak about state police, every solution creates its own problems.

“You cannot totally say that state police is going to be the answer to all our insecurity, it has its own problems, but I think that is what our people need.”

He however believes the South East has relatively recorded the lowest incidences of security challenges compared to other regions in the country.

“I tell you that relatively in the whole country, South East is still better secured than any other region, and I give kudos to our governors who work day and night to ensure that this happens,” he said.

The governor decried the general security situation in the country, including the challenges of Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and cultism among others.