The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has appealed to the National Assembly to expedite action on the passage of the state police bill towards addressing the rising insecurity in the country.

This is contained in a statement made available to journalists on Saturday in Akure by the party’s director of media and publicity, Steve Otaloro.

The party expressed concerns over the spread of rural banditry, herder-related attacks, kidnapping and cross-border extremist activities.

It said that the prevailing situation required urgent and innovative reforms in the nation’s security architecture.

The party commended President Bola Tinubu for what it described as renewed efforts to strengthen national security through enhanced deployment of personnel, acquisition of modern equipment and closer collaboration with state governments.

The APC noted that the Nigerian Police alone could not effectively secure all communities without structured support from state-level policing.

“It is increasingly clear that the Nigeria Police, despite its dedication and sacrifices, cannot fully secure every community across the federation without structured support from state-level policing systems.

“The ongoing debates across the federation and in the National Assembly on the creation of State Police show that the nation has reached a consensus point: Nigeria needs a multi-layered policing framework to respond to today’s realities.

“This position is one long championed by late Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, former Governor of Ondo State, whose strong advocacy for decentralised policing laid the groundwork for a new security paradigm.

“He foresaw the dangers of unchecked banditry, cross-border terrorism, and widespread attacks on farmlands at a time many underestimated the severity of these threats.

“Akeredolu’s response was visionary the establishment of the Amotekun Corps, a regional security network designed to complement federal security agencies,” the party noted.

APC described the moment as an opportunity for national unity and leadership, saying bold reforms were needed to strengthen security for future generations.

(NAN)