Ohanaeze Ndigbo Hails Approval of State Police, Calls it a Landmark Decision

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, has commended the Federal Government and state governors for consenting to the establishment of state police nationwide.

Having been a strong advocate for state police creation, Ohanaeze views this decision as a crucial step towards addressing the country’s security challenges.

In a statement released on Friday by Ohanaeze’s factional Secretary-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the organization emphasized that security is a local matter, and community policing is essential to combat insecurity, especially in the South-East region.

Ohanaeze noted that the implementation of state police aligns with a key recommendation of the 2014 Constitutional Conference reports, which the previous administration under President Muhammadu Buhari failed to act upon due to apprehensions.

The organization commended President Bola Tinubu for indirectly facilitating the implementation of this vital recommendation.

Ohanaeze believes this decision will end the era of fear concerning the deployment of Igbo and Christian personnel to Boko Haram-controlled areas.

“In the past, Igbo youth perceived police recruitment exercises as potential death sentences, fearing they would be posted to Northern regions grappling with Boko Haram terrorists and banditry.

However, with the introduction of state police and community policing, a new ray of hope emerges,” the statement read.

Ohanaeze also highlighted that the creation of state police and the adoption of community policing offer significant avenues for job creation, particularly in addressing the massive youth unemployment crisis.

The organization suggests deploying personnel within their respective localities to ensure that every employed individual serves their community with unwavering dedication.

“With the President’s recent pronouncement on increased police recruitment, Igbo youths will wholeheartedly seize this opportunity, unburdened by the fear of deployment to the North,” the statement continued.

Ohanaeze expressed its firm belief that the establishment of state police is a long-awaited answer to prayers, a crucial step towards resolving the pervasive security challenges plaguing the nation.

The organization reiterated its commitment to supporting and collaborating with the government and relevant stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of this landmark decision.

President Bola Tinubu and state governors, during a meeting in Abuja on Thursday, finally approved the establishment of state police as a measure to curb insecurity.