INSECURITY : Hold Southwest governors accountable, says Fayemi

---As S/W Govs reiterate call for state police

The executive Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman Nigeria Governors Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi has said the people should hold the Southwest Governors accountable for insecurity in the region.

Fayemi stated this yesterday while speaking at the Stakeholders' Security Summit for southwestern states organised  by Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission in Ibadan. 

"Insecurity has created palpable fear in the mind of the people. We hold it a duty to reconfigure our security architecture. We are set to harness the potential of security agencies to rid the region of insecurity.

"This crisis should unite us , not divide us. We need to focus on the root cause of the challenge.  We should focus on what we can do . We don't have to demonize any ethnic group. Security situation should be a serious concern to everybody.

"We need to reform  our criminal justice system and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of all criminal justice institutions.

"We need a regional response to insecurity given the contiguity of our states.

We as your governors should be held accountable for the insecurity. We will not sleep until the problem is tackled head on".

The governor also pointed out that the country needs state police.

He said:"We cannot have a unitary police system in a federal state. We must democratize the intelligence gathering. Our demand  for state and local policing is not tantamount to the removal of the federal police. They can exist side by side with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF)".

Welcoming the governors and others to the summit, the executive Governor of Oyo State and the host Engr Seyi Makinde said the problem of insecurity in the Southwest is like a snake in the roof which we cannot ignore. Governor Makinde stated that, "Although the problem of terrorism is mainly in the North East, but the events that contribute to the state of insecurity in that region are spreading like wildfire down south and we are beginning to feel the heat.

Just of recent, the son of a former Minister of Health, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, was kidnapped in his farm last week, right here in Oyo State. Some areas in Oyo State has becoming a den of kidnappers, and the growing tensions between farmers and herdsmen has becoming unpleasant.

Ife-Ibadan expressway is fast becoming kidnappers' den .

He said he expected that the summit would provide solutions that can be applied to the security challenge in the region.

He added that:''We should not allow the actions of miscreats to change who we are.

The governor who said he is in support of state police, stressed that advantages of community policing far outweighs the feae we have against it. There cannot be development without peace.

In his submission, Governor Akeredolu of Ondo State said as leaders, the governors must be determined to protect the people.

While stressing the need for proactiveness in tackling security issues, the governor said there should be no compromise.

He called for joint border patrol and   intelligence cooperation in the region.

Akeredolu added:"We will work together as governors. We have started working together casting aside partisan coloration.  The ultimate aim is socio-economic integration.  We must totally depend on each other".

The governor who said he is in support of state police, stressed that advantages of community policing far outweighs the feae we have against it. There cannot be development without peace.

In his own submission, the executive Governor of Lagos State Babajide Sanwo-Olu called for collaboration and provide common solutions to security problem.

Saying community/state and neighbourhood police is the way  to go, adding that:"State police can exist side by side with the federal police as being dobe in other parts of the world. Our primary role of providing security for the is our deliverable".

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State said security issues required the efforts of all stakeholders, maintaining that the region must take collaborative efforts in view of the insecurity in the region.

While emphasizing that a peaceful atmosphere is fundamental business, Governor Abiodun also said he supports the establishment of state police.

Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State said to tackle insecurity, Southwest states must collaborate.

Earlier while welcoming the dignataries, the  Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, Mr. Seye  said:"This is the safest zone and it needs to remain so. We will do everything within the ambit of the law to secure the region''.

Meanwhile, a non governmental organization, Crime Alert Security Network has pledged to support the Oyo state government at reducing crime to the bearest minimum in the state.

The organization Public relations officer, Jumoke Akinwale, made this claim in a chat with news men at the stakeholders' security summit organized by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria with the focus to see into the solution of insecurity in the western states.

She, however, implored the Nigerian public to show more commitment to the fight against crime.

At about 11: 43 a.m. , Governors Seyi Makinde, Rotimi Akeredolu, Kayode Fayemi, Gboyega Oyetola, Dapo Abiodun and Babatunde Sanwo-Olu  arrived the Ogunlesi Hall venue of the summit.

Present at the event were the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams,  Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom, Fredrick Akirutan, the Osemowe of Ondo Kingdom, the Oluwo of Iwo, the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti and others.