By Ogalla Daniel
The Member representing Omala State Constituency in the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Umar Yahaya, has identified improved grassroots security, job creation and enhanced intelligence gathering as major benefits of establishing State Police in Nigeria.
Hon. Yahaya stated this while speaking with Newsmen on the passage of the proposed constitutional amendment on State Police by the Kogi State House of Assembly in Lokoja.
He said the establishment of State Police would bring security closer to the people, particularly in rural communities where access to security personnel could be challenging.
According to the lawmaker, the proposed arrangement would complement the existing federal policing structure, with state police personnel focusing on security issues within their respective communities.
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Hon. Yahaya explained that recruiting indigenes who understand the language, culture, religion and terrain of their communities would improve intelligence gathering and enable security agencies to identify suspicious activities more effectively.
He cited Omala Local Government Area as an example, noting its strategic location around the boundaries of Kogi, Benue and Nasarawa states, as well as the presence of River Benue, which passes through Bagana community.
The lawmaker said residents familiar with the area could more easily identify strangers and provide timely information that could help prevent criminal activities.
He further noted that having security personnel stationed within communities would enable quicker responses to emergencies without waiting for lengthy deployment procedures through higher police authorities.
He explained that although established command structures were necessary for coordination and accountability, some security situations required immediate action to prevent escalation.
The lawmaker maintained that the proposed State Police system could improve security coordination, enhance local intelligence and enable faster responses to threats, particularly in hard-to-reach communities.
