By Sadiq Umar – Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has endorsed the move by the National Assembly to amend the Nigerian Constitution to allow for state police and community policing in the country.
The two chambers of Senate and House of Representatives at its resumed plenary on Tuesday commenced consideration of a constitutional amendment for the creation of state police to deal with the current insecurity in the nation.
The development follows the recent killing of over 200 persons by herdsmen in five villages in Jos, Plateau capital.
Mr. Abubakar also condoled with families and colleagues of seven police officers who were killed in Abuja in the line of duty.
He said the lawmakers have by their action demonstrated courage in seizing the initiative to intervene in the country’s security crisis.
Sokoto state governor and former Speaker of House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal had also called for the establishment of community policing as a panacea to addressing the prevailing security challenges.
Recalling the massacres in Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Adamawa, Zamfara, and Kaduna States, Mr Abubakar said the National Assembly’s move was “decisive”.
“A peculiar crisis demands a decisive action, and I am one hundred percent behind the National Assembly in their efforts to strengthen the hands of state governments in providing security to their citizens,” Mr Abubakar said.
“Nigeria must show, by words and action, that the lives of our armed forces and the police and indeed of any Nigerian matter to us. Even one loss of life is a loss too many”.
According to the former vice president, leaving the citizens to their fate is not an option.
Once a democratic government seems overwhelmed or paralyzed by security challenges, the initiative by the National Assembly should be welcomed by all Nigerians.
