Buhari, Osinbajo, Governors, IGP Perfect Plans for Community Policing

* Fayemi: Details of coordination, recruitment, launch,
being finalised
* President orders immediate reinforcement of security in Katsina
State

President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, state
governors and the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, are
currently perfecting plans for the smooth take-off of community
policing across the six geo-political zones of the country.

This comes as the President yesterday in Abuja ordered an
immediate reinforcement of the security architecture in his
homestead of Katsina as well as the prosecution of perpetrators of
violence which claimed some lives in the state on Wednesday.

Giving an update on community policing while briefing
journalists in the State House after a meeting with the president,
Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum
(NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said he was in the Presidential Villa to
brief the president on update on community policing and other
related security matters.

According to him, the meeting with the President was the fallout
of the previous meeting of the Security Committee of the National
Economic Council (NEC) which he said mandated him, as the chairman,
to brief both the president and the vice-president on the matter
and simultaneously secure their support wherever necessary.

He listed such areas where the support of the two heads of the
federal government would be needed to include the arrangements
ahead of the launch of community policing; coordination among
governors and security heads across the six zones of the country as
well as recruitment arrangements.

Fayemi, who further disclosed that the recruitment of 10,000
into the Nigeria Police was ongoing, added that the number was far
from being enough to tackle the magnitude of security challenges
confronting the country.

According to him, plans are currently being mulled to carry out
additional recruitments from N-power beneficiaries who are serving
out their tenures as well as youth corps members.
He said: “I came to brief Mr. President on the outcome of the
Security Committee of the National Economic Council which I chair
and which has just met to review concerns, issues around security
and our proposed reactions on those. This was a meeting that had in
its membership the governors from the six zones, the Inspector
General of Police, Chief of Defence Staff and the National Security
Adviser.

“It was the outcome of the last NEC meeting which focused
exclusively on security. That committee met a couple of days ago
and I was asked to brief both the vice president who chairs the NEC
and the president as well on the aspect of the work of the
sub-committee of NEC that will require the commander-in-chief’s
support, namely, the organisation of the community policing
arrangement that the IGP has announced publicly as his own way of
effective response to security challenges across the board; the
coordination between governors and security chiefs within the six
zones and then recruitment into the law enforcement agencies.”

He further added: “As you may be aware, certain recruitments are
going on now particularly with regards to the police. But, we feel
in our humble opinion that 10,000 policemen and women are not
enough to add to the police in tackling the dearth of security
agents in the country. That we will have to figure out a way to
increase that number either out of the N-Power cadets who are
coming to the end of their service year having spent two years or
youth service corps members or any of the other institutions that
will enable us boost the manpower of the Nigeria Police Force.”

Fayemi said that Buhari commended NEC for paying special
attention to security matters and also urged the committee to work
with the security chiefs whom he said had briefed him on the matter
at Thursday’s security meeting.

“Mr. President also said that jointly, we should work out the
detailed modalities for the suggested date so that it can be
drafted into a plan of action,” he added.Buhari Orders Immediate
Reinforcement of Security in Katsina State

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja ordered
an immediate reinforcement of the security architecture in his
homestead of Katsina as well as the prosecution of perpetrators of
violence which claimed some lives in the state on Wednesday.

Presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, said in a statement
last night that Buhari warned herdsmen and communities to stop
taking laws into their hands by resorting to violence at every
provocation.

He also said Buhari warned the herdsmen returning from the South
as a result of the rainy season to respect the boundaries of
farmers and villagers while the communities must also desist from
attacking herdsmen.

According to the statement, the president commiserated with
families that lost their loved ones in the attacks from herdsmen,
assuring the state that the security structure would be further
strengthened to avoid unnecessary violence between herdsmen and
communities.

“President Buhari, who commended the State Government for
providing logistic support to security outfits to carry out their
operations of protecting innocent citizens, said the federal
government will continue to create enabling environment for
citizens to go about their businesses without fear of harassments
or violence.

“The President directed security outfits in the state and all
parts of the country to work towards preventive, rather than
reactionary measures; strengthen inter-agency intelligence sharing
and deploy updated security platforms; and ensure partnership and
harmonious relationship with community leaders and members for
local intelligence, “the statement added.

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