By Samuel Mesele.
PIQUED by incessant killings if innocent Nigerians by armed bandits,the National President of Odua Progressives Care Initiative (OPCI) Dr.Salam Maruff has lent his voice to the call for the establishment of the State Police in the country.
In an exclusive interview in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital,Dr.Maruff said the establishment of the state police became imperative in view of dangerous dimension killing of innocent Nigerians has assumed in recent times.
The President of the splinter group from Gani Adams lead Odua Peoples Congress,(OPC) said with the recent killing in Nasarawa state and other States in the country, the nation was experiencing what she has never experienced before pointing out that urgent and drastic action is imperative to stop the menace.
According to him, with State Police, Policeman can virtually identify all members of the community they police and called for the transfer of members of Nigeria Police to their various local government areas of origin for effective community policing.He revealed that this system will reduce the crimes and incessant killings in the country.
Fielding question on the activities of the group in combating crimes in the society,Dr.Maruff revealed that the organization has been partnering with various law enforcement Agencies in the country by volunteering useful information on how to curtail the activities of criminals in the society.
He cited recent Armed Robbery carried out on Banks in Offa,Kwara state where the organization for the past three years has issued Press Statements and written letters to the state Commissioner of Police informing him of activities of political thugs suspected to be involved in criminal activities in the state.
According to him,the incident would have been avoided if the organization letters and complaints were heeded to by law enforcement agencies in the state and reiterated the commitment of OPCI to work with relevant law enforcement agencies in the country to put an end to incessant killings of innocent Nigerians.
Dr.Maruff appealed to the President Muhammad Buhari to fulfill his electoral promise of restructuring Nigeria. He revealed that different agitations across the country will be settled by restructuring. According to him, Nigeria problems especially different agitations across the country started in 1914 when the country was amalgamated which did not bring into consideration the cultural values of different tribes in the country.
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