Ibadan — A member of the Oyo State House of Assembly,Temitope Olatoye, has called on Northern leaders to rise up to the challenges of insecurity in the region.

Olatoye, who is representing Lagelu State constituency, voiced concern over the development and said that only the northern leaders can end the insurgency.

He backed the call for state police, wondering how a security personnel posted to crisis-prone areas could be as effective as the residents of such areas in the discharge of their responsibilities.

"When you post people from the west to the north to police the area, how much knowledge does such person know about the people of the area? But if they are citizens of a state or residents of a community, they will be able to police the area well," he added.

Olatoye described Oyo State House of Assembly as the best in the country because of the ability to prevent crises despite being occupied by three political parties. Speaking on his efforts at arresting youth restiveness, he said over 1000 youths had been engaged in various skill acquisition programmes, stressing that 'an idle mind is the devil's workshop'.

The lawmaker further stated that he had rehabilitated over ten roads within his constituency, while about twenty low-cost housing units are almost completed without any assistance from state government.