From Victor Edozie, in Port Harcourt
The Spiritual Advisory Council, SAC, of Christ Church, the umbrella body of Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Methodist Church of Nigeria and the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria have thrown its weight behind the establishment of State Police and urged the federal government to ensure its full implementation.
The body in a communique signed by His Eminence, The Most Rev’d Ekpenyong Nyong Akpanika, Prelate and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria at the end of its Spiritual Advisory Council meeting held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State said it took sufficient notice of the efforts of the federal government to constitutionally restructure the Policing system in the country.
Prelate Nyong Akpanika in the communique said the security challenges faced across the country will be addressed through the creation of a dual policing framework with the intent to establish state and federal police commands.
Akpanika said the body welcomes what it described as bold initiative of federal government and expects that the end result of the policy would be a more localised and better effective Policing system for Nigeria.
The body, whilst commending the efforts of federal government, armed forces and other security agencies on the recent gains in stemming the spate of insecurity in the country, however expressed grave concern over the persistent recurrence of kidnappings across the country.
The body enjoined the government and the security services to rise to the occasion and quickly stem what it described as the seemingly intractable kidnapping situation and other incidents of violent crimes across the Country.
The body blamed the security challenges faced across the country on the prevailing difficult economic situation faced by Nigerians and implored federal and state governments to ensure that the ameliorated measures recently announced especially with regards to easing transportation cost and reducing the cost of food, are genuinely implemented.
“The SAC took sufficient notice of the efforts of the Federal Government to constitutionally restructure the Policing system in the country through the creation of a Dual Policing framework with the intent to establish State and Federal police commands. SAC welcomes this bold initiative and expects that the end result of this policy would be a more localised and better effective Policing system for Nigeria.
“We enjoined the Government and the Security Services, to rise to the occasion and quickly stem what it described as the seemingly intractable kidnapping situation and other incidents of violent crimes across the Country.
“The SAC acknowledged the prevailing severe and unfortunate Economic difficulties in our nation, which it noted, has undoubtedly contributed to the adverse Security challenges in Nigeria. The Heads of Church bemoaned this fact and noted that it has rarely been this difficult in our nation and for her citizens during peace time.
“The Council therefore implored the Federal and State Governments to ensure that the ameliorated measures recently announced by them, especially with regards to easing Transportation Cost and reducing the cost of Food, are genuinely and evenly implemented this time, so as to help cushion the unprecedented hardship being experienced by the majority of our citizens.
“Indeed, the SAC hastens to implore Governments at various levels to actually do much more than what has already been proposed, as the economic situation in the country is in fact most excruciating and increasingly unbearable for a vast majority of the people.”
“In the same vain, the Council continues to note with even greater sadness and condemnation, the increasingly unrestrained ostentatious display of affluence by Public Servants and members of the Political Class in the country; and hastens to restate it’s call for a moral and ethical rearmament, for a return to propriety in public and private conduct, for decorum, for selflessness, for accountability and for greater efficiency in public service delivery, that is devoid of waste and corruption.
“As the nation marches towards the Scheduled General Elections early in 2027, the SAC implores the Government to ensure Free and Fair Elections, and for the Political Class to seriously consider the dire state of affairs in the country and to therefore take due care in ensuring Peaceful, Issue Based campaigns and Elections; and further enjoined all Citizens, particularly the Christian Faithful, to actively participate and engage in the political processes and to Vote for good governance at all levels,” the group pointed out in the communique.
