President Muhammadu Buhari asked rhetorically ‘How many states are able to pay their workers in time?’ as he reiterated his disbelief in the creation of state police.
The President said this in an interview with Aliyu Mustapha of VOA in Washington while on a state visit to the United States.
Buhari also made reference to the constitution of the country as a factor in the creation of State police.
He said, “I want the Nigerian Constitution to be consulted first and see what it says. If it says they should be allowed, then they should be allowed.”
When asked if he was convinced by the clamour for state police, the President replied emphatically “No, I am not convinced. We should have solved the current insecurity in the North-east and South-south by now. Can the states be able to shoulder the burden of the polic? You cannot just give someone guns and ammunition, train him and refuse to pay him, you know what will eventually happen.”
Read the transcript of the interview here.