Deploy More Resources to Tackle Poverty, Not State Policing, ADP Chieftain Tells Tinubu
- ADP chieftain Chris Emejuru warned President Tinubu that state policing alone will not solve Nigeria's security challenges
- Emejuru, a US-based entrepreneur, said the government must redirect the same energy spent on policing reforms toward tackling poverty
- The Rivers state-born businessman outlined specific economic measures he believes could reduce insecurity across Nigeria
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Abuja, FCT - A chieftain of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) and US-based entrepreneur, Chris Emejuru, has cautioned President Bola Tinubu to approach the proposed state policing initiative carefully, arguing that economic hardship remains the deeper root of insecurity in Nigeria.
Emejuru made his position known in a statement issued to journalists on Sunday, August 9, in Abuja, where he argued that deploying more law enforcement resources without first addressing poverty would do little to bring lasting peace.
Source: UGC
"No amount of bullets, weapons, or tanks will put food in the stomach of a desperate youth," Emejuru said. "Once you address poverty in the country, insecurity will reduce."
State Policing Must Not Overshadow Economic Priorities
The Rivers state-born businessman said the government's enthusiasm for state policing, while understandable, needed to be matched with equal urgency on poverty reduction. He argued that if the Tinubu administration channelled the same level of effort into economic empowerment as it has into policing reform, insecurity would "reduce tenfold."
Emejuru acknowledged that state policing has potential but stopped short of endorsing it as a solution to Nigeria's security problems. He noted that the reform is not yet within constitutional law and called for safeguards to prevent corrupt actors from taking control of any new structures that emerge.
"State Policing could be a welcome development, but more effort into reducing poverty will make the biggest difference in creating a more stable and secure Nigeria," he said.
Economic Empowerment as a Security Tool
Emejuru outlined several measures he believes could address the link between poverty and crime. He proposed using AI-enabled technology to release funds directly to the most vulnerable Nigerians, diversifying revenue streams so that resources from multiple sectors can be redistributed transparently, and offering grants to workers in the informal economy, which he said could translate into savings for ordinary Nigerians.
He argued that when young people have access to opportunity, their priorities shift away from desperation.
"Instead of looking for food, a youth will find opportunity. Instead of struggling to find hope, people will find work in abundance," he said.
Emejuru stressed that lasting security depends on policies that improve people's daily lives rather than on expanded enforcement capacity alone.
Tinubu Addresses Concerns on State Police
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that President Tinubu gave assurances that the planned state police system will have strong safeguards to prevent governors from misusing the structure for personal or political gains.
Tinubu made the remarks on Thursday while hosting members of the Oyo State Council of Obas at the State House in Abuja. The delegation was led by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Rashidi Ladoja.
The president said the proposed framework would operate with adequate checks and balances, adding that traditional rulers would have a role to play in holding the system accountable. He said the federal government remains committed to building a stronger national security architecture.
Source: Legit.ng
