The Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, says Nigeria will tip over the brink unless it immediately addresses the core issues of state and community policing, resource control, and restructuring of its current ‘unitary’ judiciary.
He stated this Friday as a panelist on Radio Now’s “Urgent Conversation”.
“I will dwell on three of the issues that I believe are critical to the immediate needs of the country to pull back from the brink.
“The first, it is imperative for Federal, state, and community policing. We do not have enough police. One centralised police for the country just has not worked.
“Secondly, we must amend the constitution and relevant laws to ensure control of oil and gas, mines, and minerals in the states that already have control over land under the Land Use Act with royalties and taxes payable to the Federal Government and the Federation Account.
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“Number three, we must rectify the anomaly of a Federation that has a more or less unitary judiciary,” El-Rufai said.
El-Rufai explained how these could be achieved, noting that, “My first recommendation is to implement the three key devolution proposals that I mentioned above. Give us state police now, vest all minerals in the state now, and decentralise our judiciary now, not tomorrow, not later.”
On banditry and insecurity, the vocal All Progressives Congress (APC) governor explained that the government must do more to assuage the genuine fears harboured by Nigerians.
“It is an understatement to say that Nigeria is in one of its most difficult moments.
“The genuine fears for their lives and property felt by many citizens across the country need to be assuaged.
“All responsible persons must show compassion to our compatriots that have been affected while calming nerves.
“Banditry is a national problem, with victims from all parts of the country, and we should address it with a common resolve,” El-Rufai said.
He emphasised the need for the elite to unite to raise needed consensus to address the nation’s identity politics-fuelled challenges.
Some other panelists on the conversation were Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State; Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe (PDP – Abia South); Pulitzer Prizer winner, Dele Ologede, and Senior Pastor, Daystar Christian Centre, Pastor Sam Adeyemi.