A prominent cleric in Ondo State, Prophet Sunday Oluwadaisi, has endorsed President Bola Tinubu's campaign for the establishment of state police, describing the initiative as a vital step towards tackling the country's growing insecurity.
Oluwadaisi, who is the Primate of the Cherubim and Seraphim Protection Church of Zion, made the call during a Community Security Awareness Summit held at Abereke in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state as part of the church's 63rd International Seven-Day Revival Convention.
The summit, themed "Safety in Our Community: A Collective Responsibility," attracted representatives of the Nigerian Navy, the Nigeria Police Force, the Amotekun Corps, vigilante groups, traditional rulers and community leaders.
The cleric said Nigeria's security challenges, including banditry, kidnapping, insurgency, sea piracy and other violent crimes, require a coordinated response involving governments at all levels, security agencies, religious bodies, traditional institutions and members of the public.
According to him, security should not be left solely in the hands of security agencies, stressing that every citizen has a responsibility to contribute to the protection of lives and property.
"We must all be prepared to play our part in preserving peace and ensuring the unity of our communities and the nation," he said.
Oluwadaisi identified poverty, unemployment, weak community institutions, ungoverned forests and the proliferation of illegal arms as major factors fuelling insecurity across the country.
He argued that creating state police would strengthen grassroots security by allowing officers who understand the language, culture and terrain of their communities to respond more effectively to criminal activities.
"The implementation of state police will enhance security because personnel deployed within their communities are better positioned to combat crime and respond promptly to threats," he added.
The cleric also commended the Tinubu administration for efforts aimed at strengthening Nigeria's security architecture and urged Nigerians to support measures capable of restoring peace and stability.
Speaking on behalf of the Commanding Officer of the Forward Operating Base, Igbokoda, the Naval Project Officer, Lieutenant Jamailu Mamman, described security awareness as a key component of effective security management.
Mamman noted that insecurity could only be addressed through stronger collaboration between security agencies and the public, stressing that timely intelligence from residents remains critical to successful operations.
He identified poor security awareness, inadequate information sharing, weak cooperation among stakeholders and the existence of ungoverned spaces as factors limiting security efforts.
Also speaking, the Deputy Chairman of Abereke Community, Mr Ebigbemi Samson, appealed to the Federal and Ondo State governments to strengthen security in riverine communities by providing more operational support and logistics for the Nigerian Navy, the police and the Amotekun Corps.
He also urged the government to improve accommodation and other operational facilities for security personnel to enhance their effectiveness in protecting coastal communities.
President Tinubu has consistently advocated the establishment of state police as part of efforts to decentralise policing and improve internal security.
Last week, both chambers of the National Assembly approved the Executive Bill seeking to establish state police, paving the way for a dual policing system in which federal and state police formations would operate concurrently.
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