Plateau State Governor who is also Chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF), Mr Simon Lalong has disclosed that the Northern States of Nigeria are “already neck-deep in community policing”.
Lalong stated this on Friday while responding to questions by correspondents on his visit to State House, Abuja.
He said he came to brief President Buhari on the incident of an attack in Mangu, Plateau State by suspected Cattle Rustlers.
Journalists asked Governor Lalong when governors in the North would consider putting up a security outfit like Amotekun in the south-west.
MrLalong said that already governors in the region have recommended community policing to address security challenges in the area.
Lalong said: “When you talk about north-central, I am chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum.
”We have taken a decision sometime last year to begin a community policing.
”Recall that at one time the governors met the president and we told him what we were doing.
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“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 as 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 read 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 with respect to insecurity.”
