By Obaike Odihue
The National Economic Council, (NEC) on Thursday, gave one week ultimatum to three Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Abuja to submit their position papers on the proposed creation of State Police.
The states are Adamawa, Kebbi and Kwara.
Governor of Bayelsa State, Duoye Diri, who briefed newsmen at the end of the NEC meeting presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said NEC had wondered why the aforementioned states and the FCT have continued to dilly-dally in the assignment.
Governor Diri said the one week deadline was one of the outcomes of the council meeting.
He said, “Council was updated with the submission of the establishment of state police, and it was reported that 33 states have submitted their positions, while three states are yet to do so.
“These three states are Adamawa, Kebbi and, incidentally, Kwara, which is the chairman of our forum, and the FCT, are yet to submit their positions.
“The council mandated these remaining states and FCT to make their submissions within the next one week, and resolved to present a consolidated states’ position on the state police to the National Economic Council at our next meeting”, Governor Diri said.
Recall that in September 4, 2024, NEC had given a deadline to four states including Sokoto, Kebbi, Kwara, Adamawa and the FCT to submit their position papers on state creation before September 9, 2024.
NEC resolved to adopt the comprehensive reports from the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, Abuja on the said date, and warned that any of the four states that refused to submit its report before the deadline, any decision taken would be binding on such state.
The acting governor of Oyo State, Abdulraheen Lawal, who briefed newsmen after the September 4 Council meeting said that the 36 states of the federation were supposed to submit their reports for consideration at the meeting.
He said an update on the establishment of State police was considered as a result of the security challenges across the nation in especially in the Northeast, Northcentral, southwest, Southeast and south-south.
He explained that the essence of that was to ensure that the country has robust security, adding that it was for that purpose that the NEC sometime last year, considered the establishment of state police and asked states to make submissions of considerations.
