State Policing ‘ll End Banditry in Nigeria, Says Ex-Osun Gov’s CPS
By Kabir Akintayo
Ismail Omipidan, Spokesperson to the immediate past governor of Osun state, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, on Wednesday, proposed state policing as the best solution to banditry in Nigeria.
Using Amotekun in the Southwest as a case study, Omipidan rolled out the achievements and role the Western Security Network (WSN) played in curbing insecurity in the region.
The spokesperson who is also the keynote speaker at the International Peace Confab/Knight of World Peace Presentation (KWP) 2022, organized by the World Institute for Peace (WIP) at the Army Resource Center in Abuja, discussed, analyzed and also proffer solutions to Banditry in Nigeria.
Narrating his experience as a journalist in Maiduguri, he explained the role played by the Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) in tackling Boko haram and how former governor of the state, Senator Kashim Shettima’s establishment of Civilian JTF helped recorded success in the fight against insurgence in the state.
Omipidan also recommend sensitization of the youth, re-organization and re-arrangements of Interior Ministry, Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship, Enforcement of law and prosecutions of convicted criminals, Deployment of Technology and Establishment of Cattle Ranches amongst others, as a measure to fight insecurity in the country.
He said “ However, one thing is paramount, and it is the non-negotiable fact that the bulk of responsibility lies on the government to find credible and expedient means to tackle this menace by deploying effective measures to bring to an end the growth of banditry in any society. And one sure way is by decentralising our policing system. We must also ensure that the Interior Ministry is reorganised in line with best global practice and it should manned by those who understands how the place works and not those who will want to learn on the job and in the end turn it to political tools.”
Meanwhile, Governor Sule Abdullahi of Nasarawa state, represented by his Director General Strategic Communications, Mr Yakubu Lama, was awarded the World Epitome of Humanity (WEH).
Also, the Chairman of the occasion, Lieutenant General Lamidi Adeosun (Rtd) was awarded Knight of World Peace (KWP)
Highlight of the event was the unveiling of a book titled “Soldiers Deserve Accolades” published by the World Institute for Peace. The book, according to the Executive Chairman of the institute, Comrade Lamina Kamiludeen Omotoyosi, said, it was inspired by the former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen (Amb) Tukur Yusuf Buratai (Rtd).
