18th May, 2021
South-East Stakeholders have called for a constitutional amendment that will guarantee the decentralisation of the police.
The stakeholders from the South-East geopolitical zone called for a constitutional amendment that will guarantee the decentralisation of the police as part of efforts to address the security challenges facing the country.
The call is contained in a statement issued by the Director of the Neighbourhood Environment Watch Foundation (NEWF), Dr Kelechi Okezie, on Tuesday in Abakaliki.
Okezie explained that they made the call at a dialogue organised by the NEWF at Owerri on the imperative for national unity, security and development.
He said that they condemned the festering insecurity bedevilling parts of the country, including the South-East zone.
According to Okezie, the dialogue, sponsored by the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development (SCDDD) is part of conscious efforts to address lingering security challenges plaguing the nation.
He said that the participants reiterated the need for restructuring of the country in line with true federalism, the decentralisation of the police and the security of the nation.
The director also said that they called for resource control where each state would be allowed to harness its resources and use them to develop their zone with a certain percentage given to the federal government.
Okezie said participants condemned the “widening socio-economic inequality in society and marginalisation of the South-East in major security appointments.
“A situation where the state’s resources are harvested by the federal government and little or none is given to the resource-rich states is unacceptable and has given rise to social and economic inequality.
“There is the need for restructuring of the country in line with true federalism and the decentralisation of the police and security of the nation.
“Decentralisation of police will enhance effective policing and timely intervention in crime situations.
“There is the need for the promotion of inclusive governance and full integration of the zone in the mainstream political governance and security architecture of the country where appointments are devoid of nepotism, tribalism and religious affiliation”.
Okezie said the stakeholders reaffirmed the zone’s stance on the unity, oneness and indivisibility of Nigeria.