Nigeria Content Online

The governor of Edo State, Adams
Oshiomhole, has called on the leadership of the Nigeria Police to work
with his government in its effort to stem the tide of kidnapping, armed
robbery and other crimes in the state.

Mr. Oshiomhole made the call when a
delegation of paramount rulers from Esan land, in Edo central
senatorial district, led by Ehizogie Ailogierio I, the Enogie of
Igueben, visited him at the government house to protest what they
called marginalization, particularly from the monthly security vote to
councils, exclusion from the recent visit by Edo delegation to the
presidency over erosion problem and keeping them in the dark over
developments in the state.

The governor said he has warned council
chairman not to use their security vote to supplement police activities
as they are placed on salary and allowances in addition to being
equipped to discharge their duties by the federal government.

Mr. Oshiomhole said the federal
government alone pockets a large chunk of about 52.6 percent of the
federation account, while 47.4 is shared between the 36 states, the
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the 774 local government areas
across the country. He said the federal government, apart from
collecting the lion share, has been unable to meet its security
obligations to the people.

“We are forbidden under the
constitution from setting up state police, we have no say whatever on
who gets posted to Edo State; we have no say on who gets promoted, who
gets demoted, who gets punished and the same thing too on the state
security service,” he said.

No value for money

He said his government had provided
over 100 patrol vehicles and a mandate on the police to collect fuel
from designated petrol stations which costs are paid for on monthly
basis, yet at every robbery attack the police would say they have no
fuel in their vehicles.

“Unfortunately whereas the federal
government has exclusive monopoly of control of security apparatus, we
who live in the state which have no control we are victims of
insecurity and in some levels it is purely academic if we are to simply
fold our arms just to remind the federal government that they have the
obligation under the constitution to protect lives and property,” he
said.

He said the people of the state were
not getting the value of the huge sums of money being expended monthly
by the state government to assist the police to combat crime.