The Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), amid mounting security challenges across the country, has declared its unwavering support for President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to tackle insecurity while urging state governments to intensify community policing and consider the adoption of state police as a long-term solution.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting that lasted over three hours, Imo State Governor and PGF Chairman, Hope Uzodimma, said the governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were united in backing the President’s security initiatives.
He added that the forum was open to Governor Hyacinth Alia’s recent call for state police, and discussions are ongoing among members to assess the feasibility of implementing such a strategy at the subnational level.
During President Tinubu’s visit to Benue State earlier in the week, Governor Hyacinth Alia had made a passionate appeal for the creation of state police to combat insurgency and rural violence.
“Let me also reiterate my firm support for the establishment of state police as a sustainable solution to the persistent insecurity in our state and perhaps elsewhere,” Alia said during a stakeholders’ forum.
While acknowledging concerns about possible abuse of power, Alia proposed that the Federal Government create “state-specific guidelines and regulatory frameworks” to ensure transparency and prevent misuse.
Emergency Governors’ Meeting Held in Abuja
Separately, governors from all 36 states of the federation, under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), converged in Abuja on Wednesday for an emergency meeting at the Forum’s secretariat.
Though the agenda was not officially made public, the attendance of National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, strongly signalled that the meeting was focused on the country’s deepening security crisis.
According to Channels TV, there were indications that the governors expressed grave concern over the increasing attacks in rural communities, kidnappings, and the inability of conventional policing structures to adequately respond.
The series of meetings comes amid growing public discontent over persistent violence in parts of the North Central, North West, and other regions.
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