Emulate Gov Udom on security strategy, group tells northern leaders

 

A group under the auspices of The North Decides 2023 has urged governors of the 19 northern states to borrow a leaf from the security strategy of Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom state.

The group, in a statement signed by its Coordinator-General Rufai Balarabe, Thursday, said the northern governors’ security strategy has been unsuccessful for too long because they have been committing billions of naira to create “parallel security outfits”, while ignoring that of the federal government, such as the police.

The group, in the statement, stressed that there was no justification for “the establishment of ineffective and inefficient security outfits, which are not backed by the Nigerian constitution”.

The group said the time has come for northern states governors to “wake up from their deep slumber and stop wasting taxpayers’ money on parallel security outfits, in the guise to fighting the frightening security crisis bedevilling the region”.

The North Decides 2023, in the statement, wondered why northern governors have not paid attention to “the revolutionary stratagem adopted by Governor Udom in dealing with the peculiar security challenges facing states across the North and South of this nation.

“While other governors are busy establishing local militias in their localities, Governor Udom Emmanuel is busy stregthening federal institutions to fight crimes. Imagine how the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) inaugurated Special Police Units Bases in Akwa Ibom and the excitement that greeted it!” the group said in the statement. 

The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Alkali Usman, inaugurated Special Inspection Unit Base 27, at Awa-Iman in Onna local government area of Akwa Ibom state, on Wednesday.

While inaugurating the project, Usman said it  was initiated and wholly executed by Akwa Ibom state government.

He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for taking care of the needs of the police and providing exceptional leadership which had been galvanising state governors and other stakeholders in supporting the federal government in taking care of the police.

He said that the support had helped to bridge  logistics gaps that had been impacting on operational efficiency of the police.

The IGP’s said, “Today’s event is significant to the Nigeria Police and the internal security framework of Akwa Ibom state and the entire country, in several ways.

“It is a legacy project which demonstrates the commitment of Gov. Udom Emmanuel to the security well-being of the good people of Akwa Ibom state.