Funmi Olaitan, Ibadan

Founder of One Love Family, Mr Satguru Maharaj Ji, has stated the need for creation of state police, noting that recent happenings in the country make the establishment imperative.

He made the call while addressing journalists on the state of the nation as part of activities marking the 31st anniversary of the establishment of the village for the sect in Ibadan, Oyo state capital.

He said the recent statement of Mr T.Y. Danjuma and the one credited to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, that the state government was paying herdsmen to protect the lives of Deltans, are enough evidence for the Federal Government and some states like Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Lagos, Delta, Balyesa, Rivers and Zamfara, to urgently establish state police.

He said, "The revelation by the esteem rtd. General, Danjuma, of the existence of a secret covert plan to eliminate non-Muslim Hausas and Southerners through ethnic cleansing and the increased spate of herdsmen killings of fellow Nigerians here and there and the recent statement credited to the Governor of Delta State that they pay herdsmen to protect the lives of Deltans, have become imperative that the Federal Government should see the urgency in accepting fully the establishment of state police.

"We are therefore, recommending that Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Lagos, Delta, Balyesa, Rivers, Zamfara Sates, should as a matter of urgency see the need to initiate steps to create what we can call Builders Brigade to not only protect the people but do some other services like health officers, informants, civil defence corps on a salary of N100,000 per month.

"Recently, we have had neighborhood watch in Lagos attacked by Northern elites who always manipulate the banks, police and the Army to do their biddings. Rivers is facing opposition from the Mafia for seeking to protect the people from any unforseen attacks.

"For the sake of Nigeria, Nigerians and Africans, there is a need for state police now to ensure safety and security of citizens and of course social coherence".

Maharaj Ji in his 22-page press address titled, "Salvage Nigeria, Emancipate Africa, Let us re-make the World", however alleged that contrary to the belief of many Nigerians, the insurgents presently terrorising North Eastern states are the new Boko Haram invented by some powerful Northerners in order to disturb, discredit and deaden former President Goodluck Jonathan's Presidency in 2011.

While also alleging that Britain and other prominent Western nations have a lot to confess as regards to killings by Boko Haram terrorists and the widespread killings that have been happening across the country since 2015, he lamented that Nigeria has been kept in darkness and confusion by the Western and Eastern imperialists because the country is their prime target to capture.

Maharaj Ji who highlighted that one of the causes of tension and economic standstill in the country is due to lack of trust and cooperation, posited that one of the solutions to the problems facing the county is for all Nigerians to have it at the back of their mind that "every Nigerian of the right age as constitutionally stipulated has right to aspire to lead the country".