President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed that the establishment of state police is unavoidable as part of efforts to strengthen security across the country.
Speaking on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja during a courtesy visit by a delegation of prominent Katsina indigenes led by Governor Dikko Radda, Tinubu said the federal government is committed to confronting insecurity head-on.
The president directed security agencies to reassess their operations in Katsina State, which has witnessed a spike in banditry, and disclosed that advanced military equipment and surveillance technology would be deployed. He also revealed plans to enhance the capacity of newly recruited forest guards in the state.
Tinubu stressed that while the country faces serious security challenges, they can be resolved with determination and strategy.
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"The security challenges that we are facing are surmountable. Yes, we have porous borders. We inherited weaknesses that could have been addressed earlier. It is a challenge that we must fix, and we are facing it," he said.
"I have today directed all the security agencies to energise further and look at the strategies. We have approved the additional acquisition of drones."
The president further instructed that he be given daily updates on security operations in Katsina.
"I am reviewing all the aspects of security; I have to create state police. We are looking at that holistically," he added.
"We will defeat insecurity. We must protect our children, our people, our livelihood, our places of worship, and our recreational spaces. They can't intimidate us."
Tinubu reminded the delegation that in February 2024, the federal government formed a committee to study the framework for state policing. The initiative has since gained wide support, although as of March, 20 states had yet to submit their reports, according to Vice-President Kashim Shettima.
The president also paid tribute to former President Muhammadu Buhari, assuring that his legacy would be preserved.
"The time we lost our brother, President Buhari, is a loss for all of us. It is the will of God Almighty, but he has left in a good way," he said.
"He didn't hand over a defeated country, a battered political structure, but a legacy of success, and that is the most important thing."
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Governor Radda expressed gratitude to Tinubu for his consistent support.
"Mr President, I would like to thank you very much, and I want to say before our elders that there was never a time I came to the President with a request that he rejected," Radda said.
Other speakers, including former Governor Aminu Masari and Ibrahim Ida, the Wazirin of Katsina, commended Tinubu for honouring Buhari and investing in infrastructure projects in the state.
Ida, however, urged the federal government to prioritise the upgrade of the Umaru Musa Yar'Adua International Airport and intensify security in southern Katsina.
