Abuja: The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has advocated for the creation of state and community police forces as a measure to tackle the widespread insecurity in the country. This position was articulated in a communique following their general meeting in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the communique, read by Oba Oladipo Olaitan, Leader of Afenifere and current Chairman of the forum, called for a constitutional amendment to facilitate the establishment of state and community police forces. The forum echoed President Bola Tinubu’s sentiments, asserting the urgent need for state police. The communique highlighted the alarming state of insecurity and emphasized faith in the capabilities of the Nigerian armed forces and security institutions to protect citizens and uphold territorial integrity.
The forum noted that over 70 percent of the national territorial space remains ungoverned and unmanned by security personnel, emphasizing the importance of local intelligence in security oper
ations. They also expressed concerns about the insufficient number of officers relative to the scale of the security issues. As a forward step, the SMBLF urged the government to cease the reintegration of deradicalized terrorists and announced the formation of a 12-member committee of security experts to contribute to the constitutional process for state and community policing.
Additionally, the forum urged all political parties to zone the presidency to the South to ensure national political stability, citing the historical zoning trend since 1999 as part of the national democratic culture. They also advocated for the restructuring of the country to grant autonomy to federating ethnic nationalities and constituent states, aligning with the principles of true federalism envisioned by Nigeria’s founding fathers.
The meeting, reported by NAN, convened major regional blocs such as Afenifere, Middle Belt Forum, and Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide. It was attended by notable leaders including Dr. Godknows Igali, Leade
r of PANDEF, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, President of the Middle Belt Forum, and Sen. John Azuta-Mbata, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.