The Chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF) and also the Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong on Friday revealed that the Northern States in Nigeria are “already neck-deep in community policing”.
Lalong stated this while responding to questions by correspondents on his visit to State House, Abuja to brief Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari on the incident of an attack in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State by suspected Cattle Rustlers.
Asked when governors in the North will consider putting up a security outfit like Amotekun in the south-west, he said that already governors in the region have recommended community policing to address security challenges in the area.
He said, “When you talk about north-central, I am chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, we have taken a decision sometime last year. You will recall that at one time we met the president and we told him what we were doing.
“We set up committees and the committees have worked very hard.
You will recall that we started our meeting from the northwest in Katsina, we are going back to have another meeting in north-central.
“The situation in the south might not be the same with the north but in the north, we are also looking at some ways that will also address these issues.
So we have gone ahead to set up committees, those committees have done their work and we are going to meet to address these issues once and for all.
“Two, we have also agreed to key into the community policing and at the level of the committee, we have already gone far. Each state is already neck-deep in community policing.
“But I have not ready the document, I cannot claim to have read the details of that (Amotekun) document, to understand what they mean by Amotekun.
I saw various vehicles that were bought but you know if it’s about vehicles, many vehicles have been bought in the north.
“I bought almost 100 vehicles and gave to the police but that is not what will address the insecurity in my state.
So, it may vary from south to the north but in the north, we are trying to look for comprehensive ways that will help augment what the federal government is doing in respect to insecurity.”
