5th January, 2022
President Muhammadu Buhari has confirmed that state policing is not an option his administration will tap to solve the security challenges in Nigeria.
Buhari stated this in an interview with Channels News TV on Wednesday. despite calls for state police by state governors and many Nigerians.
The president noted that traditional rulers could play the roles of local police because “they know who is who” in their community.
He warned that the roles of traditional rulers must not be undermined
He said: “The role of traditional rulers must not be undermined, because in their areas they know who is who, even by families, not to even talk of individuals.”
Buhari added that more attention should be paid to the relationship between local government and state Governors.
He hinted that funds allocated to local government, which could help in solving insecurity at the local level, are majorly siphoned by state governors.
Buhari said: “State police is not an option. Find out the relationship between local government and the Governors. Are the third tier of government getting what they are supposed to get constitutionally? Are they getting it? Let the people in local government tell you the truth, the fight is between local governments and the Governor.”
Power sector
Nigeria currently has the capacity to produce 13,000 megawatts of electricity but currently produces just 4,000 megawatts on the national grid.
However, Buhari noted that he is unhappy with the current situation.
“I am not because I identify that no country can develop without infrastructure and infrastructure means road, rail and power,” Buhari said.
“This government is working very hard on the road. Try to imagine what was happening between Lagos to Ibadan six months ago and what it is now.
“We are doing from Lagos to Kano the rail, road from here to Kaduna to Kano. So we have to get the infrastructure right and then Nigerians will mind their own business. But when the infrastructure is not there, the roads are not there, the rail is virtually killed, no power, what do we expect people to do?”
The President also shed more light on why the electricity supply is yet to be stable in the country.
He noted that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is 100% government-owned but his government inherited the Distribution Companies (DisCos).
According to the President, the owners of Discos bought them based on geo-political zones rather than merit.
He added, “The people that own them, who are they? They are not electrical engineers, they don’t have money, it is just a political favor.
“To remove a system and reintroduce one is no joke. Luckily we have the TCN and that is the transmission. If we can get our technology right, we will cut the cost on transmission and the likelihood of sabotaging the lines and so on.”