Fayemi, Bagudu meet IG to address insecurity

The Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi and Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Bagudu met with the acting Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba on Thursday to look for ways to collaborate with the police in addressing insecurity facing the nation.

At the meeting to discuss insecurity issues, the acting Inspector-General of Police disclosed that the police with the assistance of the governors would “surmount the insurmountable”.

The state governors stated that they were at the Force Headquarters to commend the IG on his appointment and sympathise with him over the attacks on police formations in the South-East and loss of police staff.

Governors Fayemi and Bagudu declared that the visit was also intended at looking for methods of collaborating with the police high command to address the violent insecurity across the nation.

Fayemi said, “It’s a routine visit; we haven’t had the opportunity to see the new acting IGP, since he took over.

“In addition to that, 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.”

He added, “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.”

Fayemi stated that the governors had offered help and would keep on supporting the police regarding finance and equipment provision in a mutual arrangement.

In his comments, Bagudu declared that the police required the help of the people to succeed.

He said, “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.”

The acting Inspector-General of Police disclosed that with the help of the governors, the police would overcome the security difficulties confronting the country.