Amb. Hamzat Lawal, Executive Director of Connected Development, a Civil Society Organization (CSO), advocated full participation of traditional rulers in the creation of state police on Sunday.
Lawal, an international election monitor, made the call on the sidelines of the Ohinoyi of Egbiraland, Dr Ado Ibrahim’s, 25th Coronation Anniversary, which was held at his palace in Okene.
The activist emphasized the importance of establishing State Police to adequately confront the insecurity that is currently ravaging the country.
He believes that states should be allowed to have their own police force, which would be chosen by the people and overseen by traditional rulers.
According to him, the states will gain a better understanding of the terrain and will know each and every member of the community, as well as identify strangers who may wish to perpetrate evil in the community through the royal fathers.
He also advocated for traditional rulers to be involved in the design and implementation of security architecture because they are closest to the people.
He described a mechanism that worked during the pre-colonial era, when monarchs enabled taxes and other forms of administration.
“If you look at what’s going on in the country right now, there’s a palpable sense of distrust; everyone is suspicious of each other.”
”The traditional institution is the only platform that can effectively earn the trust of the people and therefore should be allowed to supervise the operation of community police if it must work “he said.
“The royal fathers should be given more roles that would enable them to adequately supervise and enhance the security architecture of their areas of jurisdiction,” Lawal said.
He said traditional rulers should be given more roles to play in governance and security as they are closer to the grassroots and by extension the people than the government at the center.
