la (SAN), Monday, took his campaign for the creation of state police a step further as he called on the National Assembly to use the opportunity of the current constitutional amendment to legitimize the operation of state police in the country.

Governor Fashola, who spoke at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja while receiving the new Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 2, Mr. Suleiman Fakai, said all the fears and anxieties being expressed about state police meant nothing if people’s lives were wantonly taken daily and state governors were powerless to do anything to curb it.

“The biggest return on investment that our democracy can give now is for the National Assembly to use the opportunity of the current constitutional amendment to give something back to the Nigerian people; something very important – security,” the Governor said.

Asserting that state police is the answer to violent crime in the country, Governor Fashola declared, “I think now is the time to stop playing games, the time to stop presenting untenable arguments, to stop presenting arguments whose foundation is based on probabilities as the only reason why we are not ready to try a new thing; that time is past. “Democracy means nothing if people are being kidnapped on a daily basis and the state governor can do no more than say ‘yes, I am the Chief Security Officer of the State.’ There must be some practical solutions to this,” the Governor said arguing further that if the states could be involved in managing the economy, education and traffic and participate in power supply, there was no reason they could not participate in managing the police.

“I want to be further educated and I am looking for a superior argument. If we have done the same thing for 50 years and it does not work, we must find courage to try something new. If it does not work, then we go back to the drawing board,” he stated.

Governor Fashola warned that the solution to violent crime in the country would remain elusive if “we remain in the same place, doing the same thing and expecting different result,” adding: “It won’t work.”

The Governor, who said he is never afraid to engage a new idea, said the success story of crime reduction in Lagos State is founded on the experimentation with community policing, adding: “If we were afraid to engage in new ideas, Lagos would not have a BRT. It was new; people resisted it, they said it would not work. Today, it is a success story.

“I think if the leadership of this country, especially our brothers and sisters in the National Assembly, find the courage to engage this new idea, it is eminently compatible with our Federal arrangement. It does not mean that the Federal Police will cease to operate. We can limit the authority of the state police if that is a workable compromise to start with. But I think the time is now,” Governor Fashola further said. He said the State’s Security Trust Fund model on which the success of crime reduction in the state is founded has grown from strength to strength because it was not built around persons but “has evolved as an institution that prides itself in teamwork, in its inter-dependence on each other’s strength because the more good persons who join us, the stronger the institution becomes.

“By tapping from their experiences from other places, their resourcefulness and their individual skills, we have grown the institution to the level you are seeing today,” the Governor said.

Pledging the support of his administration to the new AIG in his assignment in the Zone, Governor Fashola urged: “We hope that you will contribute your very wide and vast experience, your knowledge of other places and other practices to add fillip to what the Trust Fund has achieved,” adding that whether it is called community policing or state police, the model is the best to deal with the problem of crime.

“What it does is that it helps the local people to participate in the policing of their community. It flows from a very simple truism that you cannot know my home better than me; and, therefore, the power of crime detection relies on the local network of information availability and experience has shown that the first reaction of people to strangers is suspicion. People will readily give information to a policeman they know is one of them than one who has just come into the territory,” the Governor said.

Earlier in his remarks, the new AIG, Sulaiman Fakai, commended the governor for his holistic approach to security through tackling all the conditions that precipitate crime such as unemployment and poverty as well as non-availability of basic infrastructure.

AIG Fakai said: “We are pursuing the issue of community policing very seriously because we see it as the best strategy for control of crime and happily Your Excellency, from the way you approach security in this State, I am very sure you are an advocate of this philosophy.”

“You have actually addressed the issue of security in this state and I am personally a student of your approach to security because I have found out that you know that crime is a social problem and you have addressed it from all angles,” the AIG said.

violent:

^^
You don't think its a good idea?

Kobojunkie:

It was a good idea 2 or 3 years when he, and many others, said of the same. It was a good idea the umpteen times after that, that he has said the same, and that has not changed. I only wonder why we have to hear it like every other month as if we do not already know it is a good idea.

violent:

^^
You don't think its a good idea?

violent:

Oh well, that's how things work in Nigeria, the dude is not empowered to make such changes, and keeping quite does not necessarily solve anything either, he's got to keeping pushing it till the NASS do something about it

Kobojunkie:

It was a good idea 2 or 3 years when he, and many others, said of the same. It was a good idea the umpteen times after that, that he has said the same, and that has not changed. I only wonder why we have to hear it like every other month as if we do not already know it is a good idea.

Kobojunkie:

Well, Keeping quiet actually spares us the shouts. I mean he is a position of power, and telling us what we already know. Why? That is sort of like listening to sanctimonious NASS agents telling us over and over about the problems with government but none of them actually stepping out to do something about it. If you are not EMPOWERED to change it(even with all the power you have been given by the people), then stop. I mean who is going to fix the problem is no one steps out to lead?

We get the same nonsense from even Jonathan himself. Imagine that one coming out to tell us of the problems over and over but never really saying ENOUGH IS ENOUGH and using his influence/power to make sure one thing is fixed.

Once again, I pray to God you're not placed in any position to administer the lives of millions of people.

Kobojunkie:

It was a good idea 2 or 3 years when he, and many others, said of the same. It was a good idea the umpteen times after that, that he has said the same, and that has not changed. I only wonder why we have to hear it like every other month as if we do not already know it is a good idea.


http://allafrica.com/stories/201008090023.html

http://allafrica.com/stories/201007280359.html

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-278448.0.html

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:SwbZPQ0_sj4J:news.onlinenigeria.com/templates/%3Fa%3D9092+Fashola+State+Police&cd=11&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

http://ekoakete.com/2010/11/24/governor-fashola-advocate-state-police/

http://www.newsstarng.com/index.php/home/957-fashola-on-state-police-

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art2008031822525242

http://allafrica.com/stories/200803190247.html

Same goes for his many calls for true federalism , . we don hear . . . he is not the first to call for it and he will not be the last. If he can't use his power to help get it to happen. I don't know why repeating it over and over will change anything

ode remo:



yeeh right, which God will ans that yor prayer,what prayer do ppl have abt you.? mr.fashola.

felele:

State Police ke

He only wants it so that him and his EVIL godfather can use what will become their personal police to collect their unjust tolls on Lekki Epe expressway that taxpayers have paid for twice: once during Jakande's regime, and now once more during Fashola's regime. Na wa for these EVIL longer throat Lagos Leaders o! read this link: http://www.standardbank.com/Article.aspx?id=31138164&src=m2009_31135327 and weep!

Tinubu sold the road to himself, Fashola is making sure he keeps it. I even hear that LCC now owns the whole of Lekki Peninsula, according to their contract. The agreement also PROHIBITS Lagos State government from making any untolled road available, or any competing means of transportation in or out of the peninsula except by air.

Join us tomorrow for the commencement of the fight against tyranny in Lagos State. No tolls, No fencing, No slavery.

Kobojunkie:

Oh Please, tell us something we have never heard before. Jeezz!!!

Kobojunkie:

Oh wow . . . [b]I see the usual suspects are already here passing off insults as points and counter arguments of some sort. [/b]ROFLMAO!!

@FLGators, why have you descended to this pathetic level? Why not just log off if you sense the nonsense ,posted by some of these imbe-ciles, starts getting to you?

violent:

^^
where the fúck did you put Ileke-Idi?. . .i want her back!!!

violent:

Oh well, that's how things work in Nigeria, the dude is not empowered to make such changes, and keeping quite does not necessarily solve anything either, he's got to keeping pushing it till the NASS do something about it

Mariory:

It is absolutely a good idea. Hell we can even keep the federal police just let the states take care of themselves. This will reduce inefficiency and waste. Maybe, just maybe corruption as well.

babapupa:


Resident Ignorant. We want our leaders to consistently fight for us, not give up because of some silly and ignorant road blocks.

Nothing in life is achieved without consistency, strong conviction and perseverance. It's like failing an exam and you telling yourself what's the need/You don't have to try again after failing the first time. Your shortsighted and misguided remark is for losers and irresponsible leaders.


Once again, I pray to God you're not placed in any position to administer the lives of millions of people.

Ibime:

Will someone tell the resident fool to be quiet?

We have a constitutional amendment due very soon. What time is better to re-raise the issue than now?

FL Gators:

Fashola, better.

We in the SW wont have to worry about how our money is being used to stop the unending debacle in the SE [Igboland].

even ur friend realizes how stewpid u really are

Beaf:

Slap yourself, the kneel down, face the wall and repeat one hundred times; "Kobojunkie will stop being NL's village hidiot!"

@topic
We hear you jare Mr Fashola! Maybe one day, your voice will be heard on the national stage along with all other young Turks.

FL Gators:

Fashola, better.

We in the SW wont have to worry about how our money is being used to stop the unending debacle in the SE [Igboland].

blacksta:

State police is only desirable where sanity, balance and checks exist and not in Nigeria where we all know it will be hijacked by the incumbent governor to execute their evil deeds.  Nigerians are to corrupt to be trusted.

Aigbofa:


And the current police is not hijacked, where even a Fuji musician can get a police escort complete sirens to chase other people off the road?

I don't think state police can be worse than what we have now.

Kobojunkie:

It could potentially be worse than what we have now.

NOTE: this is not to say I am against State Police(since I know some folks like to reason upside down).

Dede1:

With the draconian manner the presidents and governors are using the federal police force today in Nigeria, the looters and ritual operatives, masquerading as governors, requesting for the formation of State Police will send chill to the spine of any Nigerian. A police force under the control of these masquerading imbeciles as governors would give rise to socio-political armed robbery and official government kidnapping.     

Mariory:

The states will still be part of the federation. The federal government can easily take over any state that does not obey federal law after all the federal government will still have the military (army, navy, airforce, reserves etc), other security/emergency services, and the federal police.