Methodist Bishops Back Restructuring, State Police -By ‘Sola ‘Biyi

L-R; Bishop of Tinubu, Right Reverend Oladapo Babalola, Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence Dr Samuel Kanu Uche, Secretary of Conference, MCN, Right Reverend Michael Akinwale, Bishop of Ereko, Right Reverend Joshua Adeogun and Bishop of Lagos-West and Right Reverend Oluyemisi Ogunlere during a media briefing on the State of The Nation held at Marina, Lagos, recently

Methodist Bishops Back Restructuring, State Police –By ‘Sola ‘Biyi

Council of Bishops of Methodist Church Nigeria (MCN) has identified the lopsided appointments by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as one of the factors that triggered insecurity and agitation for secession in the country. 

The council led by the Prelate of the church, His Eminence, Dr. Samuel Chukwuemeka Uche, said President Buhari has no other choice than to restructure the country, if his ongoing efforts to resolve the various challenges facing the country were to succeed.

The Council’s position was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the 38th Council of Bishops held at Wesley Methodist Cathedral, Calabar, made available to newsdishng.com, by the director of communications of the church, Reverend Oladapo Daramola. 

The communiqué reads in part: “we urges the Federal Government to take bold and intentional steps towards restructuring Nigeria, including the consideration of the recommendations of the 2014 National Confab.The Federal Government should systematically and meticulously uphold the constitutional policy and provision for the practice of true federalism and federal character in appointments to all offices and agencies of government, and especially in the security sector as this will give a sense of belonging and inclusiveness to all Nigerians.

“The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to re-strategise and change tactics in order to tame the enemy of country. 

“As a matter of urgency, Council urges the Inspector-General of Police, to deploy all Assistant Inspectors General of Police and Commissioners of Police to their zones and states of origin respectively, to contain security challenges. There is now a palpable need for the establishment of state police and firming up of the present structures of community policing which are springing up in answer to the issues of intractable insecurity. 

“The efforts of the security agencies, especially the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in the fight against drug trafficking and related offences is commendable”.

The council also implored the Federal Government not to mobilise and deploy members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to volatile states where there is widespread insecurity and brigandage. 

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