Allow State Policing To Tackle Insecurity, Benue Monarch Tells FG

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One of the prominent Benue state monarchs, the Adirahu Ny’Igede, High Royal Highness Oga Ero, has urged the Federal Government to allow state policing as a viable means  of tackling insecurity in various parts of the country.
Speaking when members of the Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace (IDFP) called on him at his palace, the Igede royal father said that taking into cognisance the peculiar nature of the country, it has become imperative for states to recruit their own police in order to tackle their peculiar security problems.
According to him, “There is the urgent need for states to recruit their own police in order to get to the roots of insecurity confronting some parts of the country. That is the only means of getting indigenes involved in the security management of our nation. Policing is local and when you have people who know the area very well and have their ears to the ground, then you can be sure to be on top of the security situation at all times.
“State police does not mean the absence of Federal Police for quick intervention when necessary. It means getting the community members to be part of security. We urgently need to implement the state police policy to stave off further attacks on our communities.”
The monarch, who is a retired police commissioner, disclosed that the Igede people have been living peacefully with herdsmen without any form of clashes, apart from a recent incident that was quickly nipped in the bud.
“The Igede Kingdom has been peaceful and without any form of tension. Apart from an incident where a Fulani man killed a girl, we quickly intervened; we have not had any form of trouble. And when we quickly intervened to calm frayed nerves, everything was taken into control,” declared the monarch.
He called on the Federal and state government to always intervene quickly on issues of security challenge before it gets out of control, adding the security of lives is the paramount responsibility of the government.
Commending members of the IDFP advocacy team for taking out their time to visit his palace, the monarch promised to avail the forum of all necessary assistance in order to bring lasting peace to Benue and other states bedeviled by crises.
Speaking earlier, the Head of the IDFP advocacy team to Benue state, Alhaji Ibrahim Yahaya, said the advocacy team was in the state on a fact-finding mission and also collaborate with relevant stakeholders for the restoration of peace to the troubled state.
“We are in this state to partner with relevant stakeholders on what to do to squarely look into the issues of insecurity afflicting some states in Nigeria.
“Five states are billed to be visited by our forum and Benue is included on our list. We have visited relevant security agencies in the state and we have received their views on how best to tackle the security problem in Benue state. We are in your palace today to get your own recommendations on the matter,” Alhaji Ibrahim said.
Also speaking, Nigeria’s Country Expert for Vienna-based King Abdulaziz International Centre for Inter-religious and Inter-cultural Dialogue (KAICIID Dialogue Centre), Joseph Atang, thanked the monarch for finding time to share his views to the group.
“KAICIID Dialogue Centre is an international organisation that promotes the use of dialogue and peace in resolving conflicts in all parts of the world. The centre does this by using religious leaders in the country. It is on this basis that KAICIID worked for the formation of IDFP to promote the use of dialogue as a form of resolving conflicts among warring communities. We thank you for all your recommendation on how to achieve peace, “he said.
The chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the programme, Professor Peter Agogo, expressed delight at the prompt disposition of the monarch in granting permission for the visit.
“We’re honoured by Your Royal Highness’s quick approval to receive us in your palace. We assure you that we shall also include your recommendations in our final reports that will be submitted to relevant agencies with a view to restoring peace to the crisis-ridden states to the peace of the states,” he said.

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