Presidency expresses worry about misuse of firearms

By IGNATIUS IGWE

The Presidency has reacted to the increasing demand for the creation of state police to tackle the several security challenges in the country.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, the Senior Special Assistant to the President of Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, says President Muhammadu Buhari is concerned about the misuse of weapons.

He argued that many states clamouring for the creation of state police in the country are unable to pay workers’ salaries.

“For President Muhammadu Buhari, his concern had always been the spread and the misuse of weapons in the hands of police.

“He said repeatedly that a lot of states that had clamoured for state police have been unable to cope with the salary payments.

“If you hire a community policeman and give him a gun and keep him for five, six months without salary, what do you expect?” the presidential spokesman said.

Shehu explained that the Federal Government had worked to create a framework in orde

The presidential aide noted that the history of community policing goes back to the First Republic, adding that the native authority police was an instrument by the ruling powers.

Speaking further, Shehu maintained that he was not surprised that the regional police was abolished for the creation of national police.

“The history of the state or community police in the country has been well-documented going back to the First Republic.

“It is clear that the native authority police that we had then was merely an instrument for the operation of people that opposed the powers that behold at the native authority or regional level.

“The country’s experience was a hurried one indeed and it is not surprising therefore that regional police were abolished for national police to ensure proper management and control which the police had become subjected to,” he said.

Shehu’s remarks come five days after President Buhari approved N13.3billion for the take-off of Community Policing initiative across the country amid the myriads of security challenges.

In a virtual meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) on August 20, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo disclosed this. (Channels TV)