Rotimi Akeredolu, Governor of Ondo State, has reiterated his call for the immediate creation of state police, saying it is one of the significant ways to tackle the rising insecurity in the country.
Akeredolu said this at his swearing-in ceremony for a second term as Governor of Ondo State, which held today at the International Centre for Culture and Events in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Wednesday.
According to the governor, the challenge of insecurity can be effectively tackled if elected political leaders across the federation exhibit the political will to ensure the establishment of state police.
He noted that the idea of state police propelled the South-West governors to establish Operation Amotekun, the region’s security outfit, noting that the group has done well in tackling criminal elements in the region.
He also insisted that every state must be allowed to secure its space.
He said: “The primary responsibility of any government is the security of lives and property of its citizens.
“We are of the firm belief that it is high time the police central command became devolved to the federating units for effective monitoring.
“We have been relentless in advocating for the establishment of state police. There can be another way if we are indeed serious about securing lives and property.
“It is this incongruity which propelled the South-West governors to form a Regional security Network codenamed Amotekun.
“The ultimate is to convince others to understand that devolution of authority is inexorable. Every state must be allowed to secure its space.
On Operation Amotekun, Governor Akeredolu said the outfit has justified its establishment.
“It has been able to work within the law establishing it. Its operations and successes recorded justify its establishment,” he said.
