The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has urged for the decentralization of Nigeria’s security architecture to combat crime effectively.
Speaking at the Edo State Security Summit held at the Government House in Benin City on Friday, the governor emphasized the need for a collaborative effort between federal and local security agencies.
During the summit themed “Edo State Security Framework: Repositioning for the Future,” Obaseki officially inaugurated the state’s Command and Control Center, named after former Inspector General of Police and Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Dr. Solomon Arase.
He also launched the Special Force Building in Benin City.
The governor highlighted the importance of citizen participation and technology in the fight against insecurity, stating, “Crime is local as well as security, and until we have a decentralized legislative framework to allow component parts to take policing to a certain level and ensure active collaboration between the federal/central security agencies and local agencies, we will not succeed in fighting against criminality.”
Acknowledging the positive impact of collaborative efforts with security agencies, Obaseki revealed a significant reduction in crime incidents in the state, stating, “We thank all the security agencies for their collaborative efforts in reducing crime in the state by 47.7 per cent between 2020 to date.”
Expressing pride in the reforms initiated by his administration, especially in the security sector, Obaseki stressed the ongoing commitment to further reducing crime.
He emphasized the role of traditional leaders in intelligence gathering and local cooperation.
“As we go into the future, the emphasis must be on decentralizing security because everybody knows who comes in and out of their communities. Once we can empower them to have some authority in making decisions to support security efforts, we will achieve a lot more success,” Obaseki said.
The governor also highlighted the role of technology in future security measures, ensuring responsible control.
He credited the success of the newly launched Command and Control Center to collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission.
Dignitaries present at the event included former Commissioner of Police and Special Adviser to Oyo State Governor, Fatai Owoseni (retd.); Minister for Police Affairs, Sen. Ibrahim Gaidam, represented by the Director of General Services in the Ministry, Ibilola Edemanya; former Inspector General of Police and Chairman, Police Service Commission, Solomon Arase; and the Commissioner of Police, Edo State, Dankwara Mohammed.
