Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku says the rising of insecurity across the country has left governors helpless in protecting the lives and property of citizens.
Ishaku, who said this during a television interview Thursday evening, in reaction to the recent attack and killing of 12 people in Manga community in Takum local government area of the state, by some separatists’ fighters from Cameroon, said there is nothing his administration can do to avert the attack since he does not control the security agencies.
The governor said he had complained to the Federal Government and the military about the threat posed by the separatist group in the Taraba community, and nothing has been done, adding that if he had the powers to control the police he would have deployed the police in the community.
Ishaku said states have to rely on “federal might”, and that no governor has the “solution” to the insecurity in the country.
“We are under the federal government when it comes to the military and police. There is nothing a state government can do. We rely on them,” he said.
“What else can a governor do, if I had complained? What else can I do? I wish I knew if this thing was going to happen yesterday.
“It is not only me that is helpless. All the governors in Nigeria are helpless. I have said it, times without number.
“All the governors in Nigeria are helpless that is why we are saying give us state police. If we have state police, I will have ordered the police.”
