Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has given his opinion on ways to tackle insecurity in the land. He stated that the creation of state policing would be a better option than community policing in fighting insecurity in Nigeria.

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo insists on state policing.

The former president made this known on Thursday 21/4/22, when the leadership of the National Association of Ex-Local Government Chairman in Nigeria visited him in Abeokuta, Ogun State. In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, it was noted that the visit was led by the pioneer National Chairman of the association, Albert Asipa, including the Ogun State chapter Chairman, Shoyemi Coker, Chinwe Monu-Olarewaju, (Delta State), and also the traditional ruler of Odogbolu, Oba Toye Alatise, Gbegande of Ososa, former chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area, Ogun State, amongst others.

The former president spoke on the need for state policing and how it would help tackle insecurity, he noted. “Our situation in Nigeria concerns everyone, particularly the case of terrorism. The case has gotten over the issue of community policing. It is now state police. It is from that state police that we can now be talking about community police,” he stated.

Obasanjo further spoke on the need to strengthen traditional system and local government administration. “I prepared it during the popular Murtala/Obasanjo administration because I believe that there was a need to enable that tier of government to work truly as a local government. They have their own executive, judiciary and legislature.

They were working and they were very visible, building and managing roads, looking into education, health, local administration, agriculture, but they were all gone,” he noted.

The former president was presented with a letter of a life patron, he assured that he would look into their request, and also, he assured them he would always be available on request to look into all their needs at all times.

Albert Asipa, the pioneer national chairman of the body noted.  “We can also contribute to the economy and political developments of the country.

And realizing your position as father of local government in Nigeria, we need you to actualize our goals, hence, this all-important visit and to come and say happy 85th birthday celebrations.”