By Adekola Afolabi

The Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, yesterday reiterated the need to have State Police to effectively secure the lives and property of the people.

Governor Akeredolu noted that the Nigeria Police Force is overstretched and understaffed and lack the capacity to adequately secure the people.

The Governor spoke in his office while playing host to the new Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 17, AIG Yunnus Mohammed Akeera.

He was accompanied to the Governor’s office by the Commissioner of Police in the State, CP Oyediran Oyeyemi.

Governor Akeredolu said the fact that a single police command in Abuja cannot adequately secure the country has led to the demand for State Police.

”As you know, the Zone 17 is probably one of the newest. When the Zone was created, the State Government had to shoulder a lot of responsibilities. When we got you a location, we had to renovate it.

“We do not run away from the fact that the Police is overstretched. The same thing, we do not run away from the fact that a single police command in Abuja will not be adequate to police the large populace of the country. This has led to our demand for State Police.

“We can complement each other. I have heard Senior Police Officers who agreed on state police. Maybe they can’t say it in the public. Go to Ekiti and even here in Ondo State, most of the Police Stations have no vehicle. Look at the unfortunate incident that happened in Owo, Police said they had no vehicle to pursue the perpetrators.

“Let us all sit down and agree that we should have a system that will create division of labour. We can have the Federal Police and then, the State Police. You can face up major task like intelligence gathering and pass it to the State Police to work on.

“What is happening, is  lack of intelligence people will not go to Kuje and attack the place in Abuja. We need your cooperation too in this our cry for a dual police system  so that we can work together.

 “People are moving down south to take refuge in our forests. You don’t have the men and officer to secure the country. Police is understaffed. We appreciate your limitations in terms of men, ammunition and so on.

Earlier, the newly deployed AIG Yunnus Mohammed Akeera promised to carry on with the good work the Governor has done on security and deepen it, even as he pledged to  work with all other security agencies to ensure that peace and harmony is sustained in the state.