The Chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and his Kebbi State counterpart, Mr. Abubakar Bagudu, who is also the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, yesterday met the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Usman Baba, to seek ways of partnering the police in tackling the security challenges confronting the country.
At the meeting, the IG said the police with the support of the governors would “surmount the insurmountable”.
The state chief executives said they were at the Force Headquarters to congratulate the IG on his appointment and commiserate with him over attacks on police formations and loss of police personnel.
The duo said the visit was also aimed at seeking ways of partnering the police high command to tackle the raging insecurity across the country.
“It’s a routine visit; we haven’t had the opportunity to see the new acting IG, since he took over.
“In addition to that, the police have been of tremendous assistance to many of us, as state governors and chief security officers. So, it stands to reason that if you have any reason to be in Abuja, and we have the opportunity to meet the Inspector-General police, particularly someone just coming into the office, you shouldn’t be too surprised to see us visiting at a time that the country is also experiencing a number of security challenges”, Fayemi said.
“So, apart from coming to congratulate him, we are also here to extend our own condolences over the loss of personnel in this unfortunate development across the length and breadth of the country.
“These are people who have put their lives on the line so that the rest of us can be secure and safe. So, we are here as governors, both chair of governors’ forum and my colleague chair of progressive governors to express our condolences to the IG and exchange ideas with him on how to stem the tide of insecurity in our country”, he said.
He said the governors had provided support and would continue to support the police in terms of funding, provision of equipment in a symbiotic arrangement.
In his remarks, Bagudu said the police needed the support of the citizenry to succeed.
“We need to appreciate our security agents because they are doing a wonderful job. They are all over the town, working hard to keep us safe, under different conditions and logistics challenges and sometimes, behavioral because a lot of us expect them to do magic.
“We need to support them, we need to appreciate their needs. So my message is to appreciate what our security agencies are doing. And also, all of us as citizens ask ourselves, how can I help? How can I support them? I believe with information, sometimes, logistic issues, we can all help”, he said.
The governor maintained that “it’s very key for all of us to support the police.”
Speaking to journalists after the meeting the Acting IG said with the support of the governors, the police would surmount the security challenges facing the nation.
“We are going to surmount the insurmountable. With the support from the governors, we will be more dedicated. It is an encouragement that will make us to work and we dedicate ourselves to the nation. The support is the best we can get from our leaders,” he said.
By Kingsley Nwezeh,
This Day