…. Insists judiciary will decide Nnamdi Kanu’s fate
President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday said no to the state police, pointing out thate the states cannot shoulder the responsibilities of the state police and that it is not solution to insecurity.
Buhari made this declaration in an exclusive interview aired by Channels Television on Wednesday evening also said the Cninrese loans have come to stay.
Asked about his view in an interview in May 2018 about governors’ demand for state police, he said: “I want the Nigerian Constitution to be consulted first and see what it says. If it says they should be allowed, then they should be allowed but don’t forget, how many times did we have to release money to states in the name of bailouts to enable them pay salaries?
“How many states are able to pay their workers in time? And you add the police to them? People should look at this matter very well.”
Speaking further on why he was not convinced about the idea, President Buhari added: “No, I am not convinced. We should have solved the current insecurity in the North-east and South-south by now. Can the states be able to shoulder the burden of the police?
“You cannot just give someone guns and ammunition, train him and refuse to pay him, you know what will eventually happen.”
On loans , the President stated that the poor state of infrastructure in the country is the reason his administration cannot afford to turn down Chinese loans as being advocated.
Explaining that the loans have become a necessity, the President categorically stated that “anybody that can help us fix our roads, rails and power is welcome. The Chinese are welcome.”
Answering further questions on the economy and the high rate of unemployment in the country, he said there is no option to boosting the economy than to return to agriculture, adding that bandits and other criminal elements who have been hampering that initiative were being cleared off the way.
“We have to ensure that people have access to their farms,” he said.
Buhari, however, rejected the notion of state police as the solution to the nation’s mounting security problems, referencing the relationship between states and their local governments, which he suggested may not be at a good level, as a potential threat that will undermine the intiative.
His remark came amid the push from certain quarters in the country to decentralize policing, which has already led to the setting up of regional security outfits by some state governments.
Responding to a question on the issue, President Buhari retorted: “State police is not an option. Find out the relationship between local government and the governors. Are the third tiers of government getting what they are supposed to get constitutionally? Are they getting it? Let the people in local government tell you the truth, the fight between local governments and the Governor.”
The president, therefore, advocated a bigger role for traditional rulers in bringing peace to communities as according to him, the royal fathers know who is who in their localities.
Buhari dwelt on reports of farmers/herders clashes in the country and wondered why there should be such occurrences among people that he observed used to coexist peacefully.
He said: “For example, there were two governors that came to see me about problems – Oyo state and one other state – because the herders were in their forests but the animals were going into the neighbouring farms, and eating the crops; I said, as far as I know, the farmers and herders have been co-existing in Nigeria for generations.
“Let them go and ask the local leadership what has gone wrong, why the break in communication between the local leadership and the herders.”
Speaking on the traditional rulers, he added: “The role of traditional rulers must not be undermined, because in their areas they know who is who, even by families, not to even talk of individuals.
“So, we have to revert to that system for us to have effective security in the localities.”
The president had previously expressed his reservations about the idea of state police.
On his confidence that the 2022 budget would be successfully implemented, President Buhari said with members of his All Progressives Congress, APC, dominating and presiding over the two Chambers of the National Assembly, he is sure the budget will not suffer any set back in terms of implementation.
“I consider myself luck that my party is leading in the two houses,” he said.
Answering questions on whether he would sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill if his observations are addressed, the president said his concern is to ensure that Nigerians are given options of free choice.
“I don’t support direct primary. I want people to have a choice,” advocating that besides direct and indirect primaries, there should also be an opportunity for consensus.
“All I insist is that there has to be options”, he added.
On the demand for the release of leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu who is facing trial on allegations of treasonable acts, the president said:
“If there are any instructions I don’t want to interfere with, it’s the judiciary. Kanu’s case is with the judiciary. We are giving him an opportunity to defend himself, not to be abusing us from Europe. Let him account for what he has been doing.”
