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Delta State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called for the decentralization of policing in the country.

The Council said this would pave the way for federal, state, metropolitan, and local government police to ensure the effective security of lives and property.

The call was contained among others in communique adopted when it held its Congress last week at its Maryam Babangida Way, Asaba Secretariat.

The Congress also expressed concern over the state of insecurity in the country, particularly in Delta State, and frowned at the influx of persons with no known or verifiable addresses into the state, thereby heightening insecurity.

It also called for the non- involvement of the executive arm of government in the appointment of senior electoral officers of the electoral body (INEC), such as Chairman, Commissioners and Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC), saying that its funding should directly come from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) to ensure credible elections in the country and reduce the judicialisation of the electoral process.

Full text of the Communique reads:

COMMUNIQUÉ of Delta State Chapter of NUJ.

The NUJ, Delta State Council, at the Congress on January 18, after deliberation on the State of the Nation:

– Expresses concern over the state of insecurity in the country, particularly in Delta State, and frowns at the influx of persons with no known or verifiable addresses into the state, thereby heightening insecurity.

– Calls for periodic profiling of residents, especially those without means of identification, to checkmate crime.

– Calls on security agencies to carry out periodic raid of uncompleted buildings inhabited by miscreants to restore peace and order in the state.

-Calls on the relevant government agencies to carry out oversight on beggars in areas, such as Interbau, DBS, Koka Roundabout, all in Asaba and others to restore sanity.

– Calls on the police and other relevant security agencies to check/regulate the activities of commercial tricycles and motorcycles operators, particularly on the highways Delta State.

– Calls for the banning of the activities of scavengers, a.k.a Iron Condemn in Delta State.

– Calls for the non- involvement of the executive arm of government in the appointment of senior electoral officers of the electoral body (INEC), such as Chairman, Commissioners and REC, and its funding should directly come from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) to ensure credible elections in the country and reduce the judicialisation of the electoral process.

– Condemns the police invasion of a live television programme in Abia State and urges sanctions on all those found culpable.

– Lauds the judgment of the Abuja High Court that the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) cannot fine broadcast stations for alleged breach of its code.

Finally, the congress calls for the decentralization of policing in the country to pave the way for federal, state, metropolitan, and local government police to ensure the effective security of lives and property.

Signed:

Churchill Oyowe – Chairman, NUJ, Delta Council

Victor Sorokwu – Secretary, NUJ, Delta Council

Godwin Ijediogor, (Guardian Bureau Chief)- Chairman, Communique Drafting Committee

Ifeanyi Olannye (NAN) Secretary, Communique Drafting Committee

Ifeoma Okafor(NTA)- Member, Communique Drafting Committee