The move to restructure the nation’s security architecture, particularly as it affects policing the over 230million population may have commenced, with both the federal and state governments formally considering the possibility of a state police to tackle the rising security challenges.
However, there, would still be need for further consultations on the issue in order to find a common ground on the implication process.
Also, the two levels of government agreed to take on headlong the issue of hoarding of farm produce as one surest way of arresting the current challenge facing the nation’s food security.
These were some of the highlights of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s meeting with 36 state governors, while Vice-President Kashim Shettima, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Ekundayo, Director-General State Security Service, Yusuf Magaji Bichi and a few ministers, were also in attendance, at the State House in Abuja Thursday.
Addressing the meeting, President Tinubu said his administration was evolving home-grown solutions to address the nation’s food security challenges by setting up schemes to support local production and discourage all forms of rent-seeking that are associated with food importation.
On security, President Tinubu approved the establishment of a committee comprising state governors and representatives of the federal government to, among other things, explore the modalities for establishing state police.
Tinubu further endorsed the training and equipping of forest rangers by sub-national governments to safeguard human and natural resources in local communities.
”My position at this meeting is that we must move aggressively and establish a committee to look critically at the issues raised, including the possibility of establishing state police.
”From Kano, we have read reports about large-scale hoarding of food in some warehouses. The National Security Adviser (NSA), the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services should coordinate very closely and ensure that security agencies in the states inspect such warehouses with follow up action.
”We must ensure that speculators, hoarders, and rent seekers are not allowed to sabotage our efforts in ensuring the wide availability of food to all Nigerians.
”What I will not do is to set a price control board. I will not also approve the importation of food. We should be able to get ourselves out of the situation we found ourselves in, because importation will allow rent seekers to perpetrate fraud and mismanagement at our collective expense. We would rather support farmers with the schemes that will make them go to the farm and grow more food for everyone in the country.
”We must also look at the rapid but thoughtful implementation of our livestock development and management plans, including dairy farming and others,” he said.
The president urged the governors to trust the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with the management of the country’s monetary policy, emphasizing the importance of allowing designated institutions to fulfill their mandate effectively.
He said the ”cacophony of postulations” on the fluctuation of foreign exchange rates was unduly affecting the market negatively.
”Every one of us cannot be an expert. If we have given someone an assignment, let us allow them to do it. If they cannot do it, then we find a way to quickly get them out of the system,” the president said.
He asked the governors to always make the welfare and prosperity of the people a priority of their development programmes, assuring them that the federal government would continue to work diligently to improve the nation’s revenue profile.”
At the meeting, the president and the governors also emphasized the importance of working together to address issues of insecurity, food security, and out-of-school children.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara state and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for convening the meeting and affirmed the governors’ commitment to partnering closely with the federal government.
…Idris provides more insights
Providing further insights into what transpired at the meeting during a parley with State House Correspondents, Minister of Information and National Orientation Idris Mohammed said: “There is also a discussion around the issue of state police. The federal government and the state governments are mulling the possibility of setting up state police.
“Of course, this is still going to be further discussed. A lot of work has to be done in that direction. But if our government and the state governments agree to the necessity of having state police, this is a significant shift.
“Like I said, more work needs to be done in that direction. A lot of meetings will have to happen between the Federal Government and dissolved nationals to see the modalities of achieving this.”
…Food security
On food security, Idris, who accused some traders of hoarding food products, said the security agencies had been mandated to liaise with governors to tackle the menace.
Similarly, the meeting considered the increase in the number of Forest Rangers across the country to effectively protect the forests and allow farmers to go back to their farms.
The minister said: “Mr. President has agreed to set up a committee to deepen the conversation that has happened at the just-concluded meeting. Of course, you know that it is impossible to complete most of the issues that were raised at the meeting so is going to be a continuous one.
“The National Security Adviser, the Director General of the State Services, and the Inspector General of Police have been directed to coordinate with the state governors to look at the issue of those hoarding commodities.
“At this point, the nation requires foods to be brought out to the people so that we can control prices and put food on the table of most Nigerians, other commodity traders are busy hoarding these commodities so that Nigerians will suffer or they will make more money as a result.
“So the governors and Mr. President have taken this decision that security agencies will collaborate with the state governors to ensure that this ends.”
On the earlier option of the nation possibly going the way of importing food, the minister said: “A decision has also been taken that in the interest of our country; there will be no need for food importation at this point. Nigeria has the potential to feed itself and even be a net exporter of food items to other countries. And we do not also want to reverse some of the progress we have seen in terms of food production in this country.
“What we’re seeing now is just a temporary difficulty that will soon go away. Therefore, the solution to it is by continuous investment in agriculture so that food can be made available to all Nigerians.
“Of course, you know that Mr. President has declared emergency in agriculture many months ago. Therefore, part of the measures that he has taken is to ensure that investments, more investments are made in this sector for the benefit of our people.”
…Security around farmlands
The minister noted that there was significant improvement in areas where farmers had not been able to cultivate following security challenge.
“Those farmers have now returned to their farms. It is the same thing in Jigawa and many parts of the country. The governors, including the governor of Plateau State, has also attested to the fact that despite all the challenges that we’re having, there appears to be improvement in security in these areas.
”Mr. President and the governors also thank the security agencies for the work they are doing. Some of them even pay the supreme price with their lives to ensure that Nigerians have a secure environment. They have thanked Mr. President for all that he’s doing. And they have also asked him to do more so that at the end of the day, we will have a completely secured Nigeria.
“Now in this direction, Mr. President and the state governors have also discussed the possibility of improving the numeric strength of forest rangers to train them so that they can keep our forests and our borders very safe.”
