‘I Am A Frequent Advocate Of State Policing’ – Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has again declared support for state policing, as he describes himself as an “advocate”.

The VP’s statement was disclosed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande.

The statement titled, ‘Nation-building is hard work, says Osinbajo at forum organised by diasporans’ was quoted during the international conference on Patriotism, Security, Governance, and National Development; a joint effort of Nigeria in Diaspora Organisation, New Jersey Chapter, the Nigerian consulate in New York, and the Global Patriot Newspaper.

Osinbajo was quoted as saying that state policing “must be the way must go”.

He said, “We must accept that there is a need for greater decentralisation of the police force.

“I have been a frequent advocate of state policing and I believe this certainly must be the way we must go.

“The National Assembly is in a position to consider some of the proposals that have gone to them for the purposes of devolving more powers to the states for security purposes and for addressing the security challenges.”

Commenting on the persisting herders’ issue in the country and the agreement between state governments to implement the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), he said, “the NLTP is a comprehensive strategy for addressing farmer/herder conflict essentially by encouraging interested states to establish cattle ranches.

“The crucial point here is that no community or state is compelled in any shape or form to give land for ranching.

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“Ranching is essentially a business. NLTP is not a land grab in any way. Every state is completely responsible for its land. The Federal Government cannot go to any state and take any land.

“Already 22 states have indicated interest and pilots, with the support of the Netherlands government, are ongoing in four states of Adamawa, Nasarawa, Plateau and Gombe.

“If we are able to execute the NLPT, we will be able to see an end to the farmer-herder conflict because the goal is to make livestock breeders more sedentary and derive more financial benefits.”

Little Info…

Osinbajo, in 2019, launched the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) at the Gongoshi Grazing Reserve in the Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area, Adamawa State.

The initiative was a collaborative work including federal and state governments, nomads, private investors, and farmers.

It was set up to run between the years 2019 and 2028, and it falls under the care of the National Economic Council (NEC).

Explaining the goal of the plan, Osinbajo said, “In this plan, the State Government or private investors provide the land, the federal government does not and will not take any land from a State or local government.

“Any participating state will provide the land and its own contribution to the project. The federal government merely supports.

“It is a plan that hopes to birth tailor-made ranches where cattle are bred, and meat and dairy products are produced using modern livestock breeding and dairy methods.”