Fayemi says governors’ to reveal state police position ‘soon’

Governors of the 36 states in Nigeria will soon reveal their position on the key state police issue, according to the Chairman of  Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Kayode Fayemi. 

“We know that state police is an issue of interest and concern  to the citizens and governors themselves and we will review it and make our position as forum known soon, he said at the end of the governors  inaugural meeting Wednesday night ahead of National Economic Council (NEC) inaugural meeting Thursday.

He added that the Forum will “retain security as a reoccurring item on its agenda for the foreseeable and retain security as a reoccurring item in its agenda for feasible future to monitor development of security situation.”

Recall that Fayemi at the end of an expanded security council meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, told newsmen that the governors were yet to decide on state and local government police because the financial muscle of each state differs.

He had stated that while some state governors had disclosed their ability to support state and local government police, others were still battling with the challenge of paying existing workers salaries. 

The NEC, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, consist of the 36 State governors, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria is the highest economic asvisory body in the land.

Fayemi noted that security has been an issue of concern to all including citizens and the governors.

Consequently, Fayemi said the forum “resolved to set up a security committee at the National Economic Council level.

At the meeting were governors of Lagos, (Babajide Sanwo-Olu), Borno (Babagana Zulum), Osun (Gboyega Oyetola),  Kano (Abdullahi Ganduje), Sokoto (Aminu Tambuwal), Ondo (Rotimi Akeredeolu) Jigawa (Abubakar Badaru), Kebbi (Atiku Bagudu), Kaduna (Nasir El-Rufai), Kogi (Yahaya Bello), Plateau, Ebonyi (Dave Umahi), Gombe, (Muhammad Yahaya), Niger (Abubakar Bello), Bayelsa (Sirieke Dickson), Oyo (Seyi Makinde) and Nasarawa (Abdullahi Sule) and Ogun (Dapo Abiodun). 

Others were, Abubakar Badaru, Jigawa State, of Borno State, Abubakar Bello, Niger State, Mannir Yakubu Deputy Governor of Katsina, and Hadiza Balaraba Deputy governor of Kaduna, 

The Deputy governors of Enugu (Lolo Cecelia Ezeilo), Cross (Ivara Esu), Rivers, (Ipalibo Banigo), Imo (Gerald Irona), Kastina (Mannir Yakubu) and Zamfara (Mahdi Gusau) were also in attendance