..breaks down over ‍‏pupils, teachers

The lawmaker representing Ibadan North I State Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Olufunke Comforter Adeniyi-Olajide, has renewed calls for the establishment of state police, describing it as a critical step towards addressing Nigeria’s worsening security challenges.

Adeniyi-Olajide, who chairs the House Committee on Women Affairs and Community Development, made the call while contributing to a motion on the urgent need for enhanced security surveillance and proactive measures to curb criminal activities across Oyo State. The motion was sponsored by Hon. Dawood Olalere during plenary.

The lawmaker expressed concern over the escalating wave of insecurity across the country, citing incidents of kidnapping, banditry, armed attacks and other violent crimes that continue to threaten lives, livelihoods and social stability.

In an emotional intervention that moved members of the House, Adeniyi-Olajide broke down in tears while referring to the recent abduction of teachers and schoolchildren in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

She lamented the plight of the victims, saying the thought of innocent pupils and their teachers being subjected to hardship and possible torture in captivity was both heartbreaking and unacceptable.

“Today, it is our children and their teachers. Tomorrow, who can tell who is next? Fear is spreading rapidly across our communities,” she said.

Quoting a Yoruba proverb, she added: “Iku ti n pa ojugba eni, owe nla lo n pa fun ni,” meaning that the death afflicting one’s contemporary serves as a serious warning to others.

Adeniyi-Olajide urged the Federal Government to fast-track the proposed constitutional amendment that would pave the way for the creation of state police, describing the initiative as a long-overdue reform capable of strengthening security at the grassroots.

According to her, the complexity of the nation’s security challenges requires a more decentralised policing structure that would empower state governments to respond effectively to emerging threats within their jurisdictions.

She argued that state police would improve intelligence gathering, strengthen community policing, enhance rapid response to security breaches and provide law enforcement agencies with a better understanding of local terrains and peculiar security dynamics.

The lawmaker also called on the National Assembly to expedite legislative processes on the proposed amendment, noting that the initiative already enjoys widespread support across the federation.

“Nigeria operates a federal system, and where an overwhelming majority of states support a constitutional amendment, such a position deserves serious and urgent legislative consideration,” she said.

She noted that no fewer than 33 states have publicly expressed support for the establishment of state police, adding that the Presidency has also repeatedly endorsed the proposal as part of efforts to tackle the country’s growing security challenges.

Adeniyi-Olajide maintained that the creation of state police would complement existing federal security structures and provide a more effective framework for combating crime and safeguarding lives and property across the country.