Afenifere Urges NASS To Move State Police To Concurrent List

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AKURE – The pan-Yoruba socio-po­litical organisation, Afenifere, has called on the lawmakers at the National Assembly to amend the newly passed State Police Bill, placing it on concur­rent list.

The organisation made the call during its caucus meeting held on Thursday at the residence of its Lead­er, Chief Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, in Akure, Ondo State capital.

In a communique signed by Jare Ajayi, National Publicity Secretary of the organisation, Afenifere said: “Afenifere congrat­ulated the Federal Gov­ernment under President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for sending the bill on the es­tablishment of State Police to the National Assembly.

“The body also lauded the legislature for wanting to pass the Bill expeditious­ly. However, there are some areas in the Bill that need to be reviewed. Areas that tend to make the proposed State Police appendages of the Federal Government.

“There are clauses in the Bill that tend to strengthen the stronghold of the Fed­eral Government on state police rather than liberal­ising it.

“Afenifere maintained that what the National As­sembly and the State Leg­islatures need to do is to place policing on the Con­current List.”

Besides discussing is­sues that affect the organ­isation, Afenifere also de­liberated on various issues affecting Yorubaland and Nigeria bordering on inse­curity, state police, econo­my, social and politics.

It raised particular con­cern over the abduction of pupils and teachers in three schools in Oriire Lo­cal Government Area of Oyo State and other kidnap incidents in different parts of Yorubaland and Nigeria.

Afenifere deeply sym­pathised with families of vic­tims of the abductions, urging authorities to work harder at ensuring that the abductees are freed soonest.

The communique reads: “It’s about 50 days now that the incident in Oriire Lo­cal Government Area oc­curred. It is a big pity that the victims have not been rescued up till now.

“We feel highly dis­turbed that these inno­cent Nigerians are going through avoidable trauma. Actions must be expedited to get them out of the den of the bandits as quickly as possible.”

Afenifere further called on governors of the Yoruba states, including Kogi and Kwara, to take more deci­sive actions on insecurity that seems to be imperiling free movement in parts of Yorubaland, among others.

It also expressed shock over the attacks on some hostels of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN), saying, “We are shocked to learn that the attacks were allegedly carried out by army recruits from the Ni­gerian Army Depot, Osog­bo, Osun State.”

The organisation said: “As reported, the attacks resulted in robbing the stu­dents, man-handling some of them and inappropriate­ly harassing some female students.

“It is gratifying to note that at least five of the re­cruits have been arrested as suspects.

“Afenifere is calling on the authorities to dig to the root of this incident with a view to ensuring that such a thing does not happen anywhere anymore.

“The body is highly disturbed in noting that this happened not from the notorious bandits that we have always heard about but from the hands of young Nigerians being trained to go and protect the citizens and defend their country.

“It is therefore very im­portant to bring the heavy hands of the law on them as they are likely to constitute a great danger to the soci­ety. This incident also calls for proper rejigging of how candidates for positions in our security agencies are recruited and trained.”

The organisation also reviewed what is going on on the political terrain to­wards the 2027 general elec­tions, calling on politicians and political players to go about their electioneering processes in a peaceful manner.

It, however, decried a situation in which thug­gery occasioning losses of lives occurred. Afenifere warned that electioneer­ing should be devoid of vi­olence, thuggery and char­acter assassination.

Afenifere also deliberat­ed on the security situation in the country.

The communique also reads in parts: “The meet­ing took note of the efforts of the military and other security agencies on secu­rity issues in the land.

“It commended the gal­lantry of our soldiers and commiserated with the Federal Government, the military and families of gallant soldiers and other security officers who lost their lives or got wounded in the process of defending the nation.

“The body then rec­ommended that securi­ty agencies be further strengthened with more equipment, morale boost­ing, enhancement of kinet­ic and non-kinetic security measures, etc.

“Government and se­curity agencies, including the military, should look in­ward as insecurity contin­ues to fester because there are internal collaborators. Such searchlight should also be beamed on local communities as there are collaborators among them as well.

“By the same token, sponsors of illegal mining should also be profiled as there seems to be allega­tions that people are being forced out of their lands only for mining to be taken place in the area almost im­mediately after the people were displaced by bandits.

“Afenifere reiterated its position on rtestructuring. The body took note of the commitment of President Bola Tinubu to re-engi­neer Nigeria that every­one would be proud of. It commended Mr. President on this and took note of the fact that some of the steps that his administration is taken is geared towards re-focussing Nigeria on the path of progress.

“We believe that restruc­turing will greatly assist and hasten the realisation of this noble objective hence our consistent advo­cacy for it. Thus, while we took note of the steps being taken by Mr. President on restructuring, we are urg­ing him to do more.”

Delegates from Lagos, Ekiti, Oyo, Ogun, Kwara, Kogi, Osun and Ondo states were in attendance.