Stop Deceiving Nigerians Over State Police, Makinde Tells Tinubu
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has urged the federal government to stop deceiving Nigerians over the proposed creation of state police, insisting that states can establish their own policing structures through legislation.
Makinde spoke on Thursday during the governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly primaries of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) held at the Watershed Celebration Centre, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Addressing party members and delegates at the event, the governor reflected on the establishment of the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun, across the South-west, describing the outfit as a fallback option after efforts to establish state police failed.
According to him, the regional security outfit was created by South-west states through laws passed by their respective Houses of Assembly, a process he said could also be adopted for establishing state police.
“Some people will know insecurity was one of the major pillars of this administration when we established Omitutun phase one and phase two, and it will remain a major pillar. Before this government’s emergence, there was nothing like Amotekun in Oyo State. We wanted state police. It was because we couldn’t get the state police that we established Amotekun as a stopgap. They should stop wasting Nigerians’ time,” he said.
Makinde argued that states do not need to wait for directives from the Nigeria Police Force before creating state policing structures.
“We know how we established Amotekun. The Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly is here. We passed a common law in the whole of the Southwest. The whole Houses of Assembly in all states in the Southwest passed the law, and that led to the creation of Amotekun.
“The only state that didn’t create Amotekun is Lagos State, and we know it is because their boss didn’t want Amotekun,” he said.
The governor further said state assemblies should be empowered to establish state police through legislation.
“At this stage, they should stop deceiving us. If they want to establish state police, don’t ask the Inspector General of Police to create it for us. Our state assembly will create it. Give them the authority and support, and within the shortest possible time, State Police will come to be,” he added.
Governor Makinde’s comments came days after President Bola Tinubu renewed his support for state police while accepting the APC presidential ticket for the 2027 election.
He said the creation of state police has become a national emergency, urging the National Assembly to amend the Constitution to allow its creation.
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
