The Council of the Methodist Church of Nigeria Bishops has advised the federal government to establish a state policing system to defeat the insecurity in the south-east geopolitical zone.
In a communique issued at the end of its 40th annual council of bishops held at the Wesley Cathedral, in Enugu, the church said it is not oblivious of the government’s effort to quell the violent crises across the country.
The council charged the three tiers of government to find a lasting solution to the insecurity in the south-east.
“We call on the governments at the centre to be more proactive in handling the issue,” the bishops said.
“Consequently, the council enjoins the government to look into the idea of the formation of state police so as to reduce the spate of the incessant killings of harmless Nigerians by insurgents, militants and terrorists.”
In 2021, former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had argued that a multi-ethnic nation like Nigeria needs state police to address its security challenges.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) had also met with President Bola Tinubu, in November, while he was candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to present an 11-point demand on issues, including the creation of state police, that can drive development in the country.