By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Former Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Udom Ekpoudom has thrown his support behind the clamour for setting up the State Police, saying it will help to address the current security challenges in Nigeria.
DIG Ekpoudom stated this while interacting with the State Working Committee of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council at his country home, Abak, Akwa Ibom State.
Ekpoudom position followed the call by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and other well meaning Nigerians for the Country to have State Police Force.
The DIG maintained that when policing is controlled by State Police, it would offer police officers who will be indigenes of the state they operate advantage of having adequate knowledge over challenges that affect such states and will help to bring out solutions to them.
He said his opinion is informed by his well of experiences gathered over years of his service in the Police Force, besides his deep insight on how policing is done in advanced countries of the world.
According to him, if Nigeria continues to follow her current pattern of policing, it will be out of place to the demand for true federalism but will leave the Country in her current state of insecurity.
His words, “I have been in the Police Force for a good number of years and I have moved through the ranks to know that Nigeria is overdue for State Police. Nigeria is not Unitary Country; it is pathetic that on everything we rely on Abuja. Let us have true federalism.
“If indigenous police are posted to where there are problems, they will surmount cultural and language barriers and will be better place to tackle the security challenges that bedevil their communities.”
He added that, “If this is done, the security challenges affecting this County would be a thing of the past. This is what is obtainable in other climes.”
Nevertheless, he said that having State Police does not in any way show that the Federal Government would be bereft of police to serve them, therefore policing should be decentralized.
The retired DIG Ekpoudom who is the Chairman of Tower of Ivory School, Ediene Abak, said his vision to establish the school rather than indulging in politics upon his retirement from the Police Force is to enable him give to society, the needed service, to his community, especially where he grew up and had early education up to higher schools.
According to him, students from Tower of Ivory School read for both internal and external examinations not only for academics but also moral teaching and sports development.
Started in 2010 with secondary school, the School currently has pre-primary and primary pupils, having over 200 qualified teachers on the employment rolls.
In order to meet standards of learning any way in the world, Tower of Ivory School belongs to the leading schools in the Niger Delta region with modern learning facilities, including standard laboratories for sciences, mathematics and French language study as well as mini sports complex with squash court etc.
DIG Ekpoudom said the facilities are provided to make the students and pupils to have the benefits of their stay at the Tower of Ivory School, besides producing best brains and future leaders.
He commended journalists in Akwa Ibom for their effective reportage of the activities in the state to ensure sustainable peace and development, describing the leadership of the Union in the state as a responsible leadership.
Earlier, the chairman of the state council of NUJ, Elder Patrick Albert had told DIG Ekpoudom that members of the state working committee of the Union were in the School to affirm to quality service delivery that has been the mark for Tower of Ivory School in the state and the region.
Elder Albert commended him for providing the serene learning environment, infrastructure and for recruiting best brains which cuts across boundary of the state to manage the School.
He also expressed optimism that the school would produce future leaders who will make the country great.
