Implement My Committee's Report To Address Insecurity, El-Rufai Tells Buhari

 

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has asked President Muhammadu Buhari-led government to implement the report of the All Progressives Congress Committee on True Federalism in order to address the security challenges facing the country.

He made this known on Friday during his appearance on ‘Urgent Conversations’, a programme organised by Radio Now 95.3, in partnership with NexTier, and with the support of Channels TV.

The governor advised the federal government to immediately give Nigerians state police, vest all minerals in the states to state governments (resource control), and decentralise the judiciary immediately.

He said, “I would recommend the following immediate decisions and actions by the federal and state governments, with the support of our civil society and all well-meaning Nigerians. The first is to implement the three key devolution proposals that I mentioned: Give us state police now; vest all minerals in the states now; and decentralise our judiciary now – not later.

“There are certain things governors cannot do. Some of them we have alluded to by saying we don’t control security agencies. So, you are chief security officer, but you can call the CP (commissioner of police) and if the IG (Inspector General) says, ‘Don’t talk to him,’ that is it.

“In five and a half years, as governor of Kaduna State, I have had eight commissioners of police. They are just posted; they spend seven or eight months (each) on average. Do the mathematics. Eight CPs that have virtually no say in their posting, and so on. How can you have security management if you change the frontline chief of security every eight months on average?”

El-Ruai noted that the governors can do nothing about state police, saying that it is only the National Assembly that could make state police a reality.

He said, “There is nothing the governors can do. And these senators and House of Representatives members were elected from states. Many of them got elected with our help and support, but when they go to Abuja, they can grow large heads and will not cut their hair for two years, and they start thinking something else. I had one like that; I got him out.

“We want states to have more responsibilities so that we can be held more accountable. The reason I said we need state police, a decentralised judiciary and the vesting of mines, minerals and oils in states now is because if we don’t do it this year, next year, everything will be politicised.”