Following the spate of banditry and kidnapping ravaging parts of Nigeria, Vice President of Industriall Global Union, Comrade Issa Aremu has called on Governors to deepen community policing in their respective states.
Speaking in Kaduna on the sidelines of Special Fidau prayers for two late second republic notable politicians; Governor of Lagos state, Alhaji Lateef Jakande and former Kano member of House of Representatives, Dr Janaidu Muhammed hosted by him and friends, Aremu tasked the governors to stop “promoting unhelpful diversionary diatribes among themselves and against the federal government.”
The labour leader, while paying tribute to the late politicians, observed that the times and lives of the two second republic politicians indicated that Nigeria was never short of selfless and patriotic leaders who ought to have been celebrated and acknowledged better while alive.
“All posthumous accolades are fine, but they come to naught and even political hypocrisy if the current governors and legislators cannot lead like Jakande in securing lives and properties, selflessness, disinterestedness, provisioning of mass housing and education for the poor, advocacy for a united and inclusive Nigeria like Dr Jainadu.
“The pervasive security threat in the country is manifestation of alienation between the governors and the led. Governors need to reconnect with the people through massive agricultural and industrial revolutions, job creation and all inclusive community policing.
“Good or bad governance is local. Governors organise with all their energies and resources and campaigned to win offices. They must then stop agonising in the wake of security challenges. They must organise their respective communities to proactively prevent the unacceptable carnage we are witnessing in both rural and urban centers of the state.
“Most victims of the current violent crimes are the poorest of the poor. State governors must not inadvertently fuel class war against the poor through indifference to “poor- on- poor” violence being presented as ethnic clashes in some communities. The state governors took oath on assumption of office to secure lives and property and ensure public welfare.”
Comrade Aremu backs the call by a prominent cleric and former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Onaiyekan, for a pan-Nigerian all inclusive approach to the security challenges, just as he urged non- performing elected leaders to quit or they should be impeached.
