William Attah, Gombe
Chairman, House of Representative Committee on Nigerian Army, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas, has called on the Federal Government to train and equip the Nigeria Police to be able to reduce the pressure on the Nigerian Army currently handling many security challenges bedeviling the country.
Namdas, whose committee was on a courtesy visit to Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State as part of the Committee’s oversight function, stated this during an interview after the courtesy visit in the office of the Deputy Governor, Dr. Manasseh Daniel Jatau, who represented the Governor.
He explained that with a well trained and equipped Police Force, the Nigerian Army would not be dragged into quelling any civil disturbances that has gradually metamorphosed into very serious security challenges in many parts of the country.
He explained that, this is the reason why the Nigerian Army is now in almost all States of Nigeria on peace mission having so much in their hands to contend with, thus making the Army overstretched.
According to him, “the Nigerian Army is in 34 out of the 36 States of Nigeria for one duty or the other. We should not reduce the position of the Army. Some issues are best handled by the Police, that is why Federal Government should train and equip the Nigeria Police Force adequately for optimum performance.
“Once you train and equip the Police, you may need less of the Army on small small matters. Normally it is when it is beyond the powers of the Police and DSS that the Army do come in”, he stressed.
He had earlier during the courtesy call commended the Gombe State Government for its interventions in security matters which included the approval for the siting of a Police Academy, building of Army barracks and Air force base among many others in Gombe State.
Responding, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Manasseh Daniel Jatau, said the Inuwa Yahaya administration was fully aware that it could not make any meaningful achievement except the people are well secured.
According to him, “that is why we made security number one and that informed our various security arrangements and interventions”, he stated adding that, the State has had a long standing cordial working relationship with the Army which has helped the State a lot.
He then told the Committee that, ” the Army may have a lot of challenges, but please look into their problems”.
