15th February, 2024
By Ismail Abdulaziz
President Bola Tinubu and the 36 governors of Nigeria on Thursday agreed to consider the option of state as one of the means of tackling the pervasive insecurity in the country.
However, the decision to allow states to run police will only materialize after full implications have been considered, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris told journalists in a briefing on the outcome of the meeting between President Tinubu and the governors at Aso Rock presidential villa, Abuja on Thursday.
Idris said the governors and the President agreed that the security situation in the country deserved all new initiatives that had earlier been jettisoned in the interest of the people.
He, however, said contrary to the request of many Nigerians, a decision was also taken that in the interest of our country, there will be no need for food importation at this point.
He said this was because it was agreed that Nigeria has the potential to feed itself and even be a net exporter of food items to other countries and what is being witnessed now is a temporary difficulty that will soon be over.
“Now, 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 as I said, more work needs to be done in that direction. A lot of meetings will have to happen between the federal government and sub-nationals to see the modalities of achieving this,” he said.
Idris said that the President and the state governors also discussed the possibility of improving the numerical strength of forest rangers to have safer forests and borders.
He said the meeting also directed the National Security Adviser, Director General of the Department of State Services and the Inspector General of Police to go after those hoarding commodities.
The minister said that the meeting deliberated on the food situation, and said the hoarding of food was not only unpatriotic but inhuman at a time when Nigerians are facing hardships.
Idris said that the security agencies would collaborate with state governments to fish out the hoarders and make these commodities available to Nigerians at the appropriate price.
“The governors and Mr President have taken this decision that security agencies will collaborate with the state governors to ensure that this ends.
“Number two, 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. What we’re seeing now is just a temporary difficulty that will soon be over, ” Idris said.
The minister said that numerous interventions taken by the president on ensuring food security would soon start to yield fruits.
Idris, who said that Tinubu had declared a state of emergency on agriculture many months ago, said massive investments have been made by the federal and state governments in crop production and livestock development and management.
He said that the meeting also discussed the issue of unemployment and agreed to roll out a joint programme between the Federal and state governments to ensure gainful employment of citizens.
He added that the meeting also agreed to make this kind of engagements between the Federal and sub-nationals a constant one in order to deepen understanding.
He added that the President and the state governors were on the same page about having a secure nation where all Nigerians are assured of their lives and properties. (NAN)