Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has commended the National Assembly for its decision to amend the constitution and formally provide for state police and community policing.
This is to deal with the current deteriorating state of security characterised by persistent losses of lives of innocent Nigerians in the hands of armed groups.
Abubakar, according to a statement by his Media Office on Wednesday, also condoled with families and colleagues of the seven Police Officers who were killed by armed bandits in Abuja in the line of duty.
Abubakar said the lawmakers have by their action demonstrated courage in seizing the initiative to intervene in the country’s security crisis.
Recalling the massacres in Zamfara, Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Adamawa and Kaduna States and the murder of seven policemen in Abuja while on active duty, the former Vice President noted that decisive action is needed to address the current security challenges.
According to him, given the seeming despair and helplessness of the citizens in the face of frequent deadly attacks, the National Assembly has a responsibility to give legal teeth to the creation of state police and community policing in the country.
He said: “A peculiar crisis demands a decisive action, and I am 100 per cent behind the National Assembly in their efforts to strengthen the hands of state governments in providing security to their citizens.”
The Waziri Adamawa noted that leaving the citizens to their fate is not an option, adding that once a democratic government seems overwhelmed or paralyzed by security challenges, the initiative by the National Assembly should be welcomed by all Nigerians.
The former Vice President explained that security strategies should be periodically reviewed because the criminals involved are also studying the weaknesses and strengths of our security system.
According to him, the state should always be ahead of the criminals or should be able to develop strategies that can neutralise them before they even strike.
Abubakar called on Nigerians to support the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly in this bold decision to amend the constitution to create state police and community policing.
He said: “Nigeria must show, by words and action, that the lives of our armed forces and the police and indeed of any Nigerian matter to us. Even one loss of life is a loss too many.”
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