Nigerian monarch calls for state police, stronger local security structures

Oba Peter Ogunbayo, the Odemo of Isara Remo in Ogun State, Nigeria, has strongly advocated for the establishment of state police and the bolstering of local security networks to combat the nation's pervasive insecurity challenges. Speaking at the inauguration of the Afotamodi Day Planning Committee, Oba Ogunbayo stressed that the conventional police force alone is insufficient to tackle the growing threats.

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The Army cannot come to the local village to gather intelligence. They need grassroots support, local outfits such as OPC, hunters, vigilantes, and Agbekoya to provide intelligence reports.

He urged communities in the South-West to strengthen their local security apparatus by organizing and integrating vigilante groups, the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), hunters, and the Agbekoya. Oba Ogunbayo highlighted that these local outfits are crucial for gathering intelligence at the grassroots level, information that the army cannot easily obtain. "The Army cannot come to the local village to gather intelligence. They need grassroots support, local outfits such as OPC, hunters, vigilantes, and Agbekoya to provide intelligence reports," he stated.

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We need to recognise the hunters, OPC, the Agbekoya, and the vigilantes. Those four outfits are working seriously in terms of securing our communities.

Oba Ogunbayo shared his personal experience, noting that upon becoming the Odemo of Isara Remo, insecurity was a major concern. He successfully formed the Isara Security Task Force, comprising the aforementioned local groups, which has since led to a "very robust security environment" in the community. He believes these groups deserve recognition for their dedicated efforts in securing their areas.

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On the issue of state police, I think the bill has gone past the second reading in the National Assembly. That is the best way to tackle insecurity because there is no way we can solely rely on the conventional police without community policing. We need the synergy of both to fight this challenge.

Furthermore, Oba Ogunbayo reiterated his support for the state police bill, which has passed the second reading in the National Assembly. He views community policing, in synergy with state-controlled forces, as the most effective strategy to combat insecurity. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Afotamodi Day Planning Committee, Mr. Eric Sonupe, announced plans to raise N500 million to fund the renovation of the Odemo's palace into a modern edifice and to support other socio-economic development initiatives in the town.

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One of the things we want to do as part of this festival is to renovate the palace ahead of the celebration.