A former minister of Sports, Barr. Solomon Dalung, has hit back at those opposing state and community policing, saying they are enemies of progress and should be ignored.
Dalung made his position known in an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP at his Sabo Barki residence in Jos, Plateau State at the weekend.
He argued that anyone opposing the call for this security arrangement do not mean well for the people at the grassroots.
Dalung maintained that large chunk of federal police are attached to Very Important People (VIP) traveling in long convoys, while people in the remote communities are left at the mercy of bandits and other criminal elements without protection.
“This category of people are the one opposing the concept of state police. Bandits appear to be living peacefully in their enclave among themselves than ordinary citizens of this country
“All of them are carrying arms. Living together peacefully without molesting themselves.”
He pointed out that if people in the rural communities too are allowed to carry arms to defend themselves when the need arise, nobody will molest them.
“If I have my AK-47 and the bandit have his own too, we will look at ourselves with respect,” Dalung said.
Reacting on the alleged claims by the National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu that security has improved by 90 percent and peace and security restored in some places, Dalung said, ” For NSA, security has improved in terms of budgetary allocation of N3. 10 trillion . So the NSA is speaking from the perspective of the availability of resources.”
The former minister also added, “The NSA is not saying that Nigerians are secured. If not how can a journalist jump through the window of her apartment in Katampe which is also a diplomatic zone when armed men invaded her Estate?”
According to him, as it is presently, no place is secured in the country adding that even Abuja the nation’s capital is not safe.
