Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has cautioned against the politicisation of security services describing it as a serious threat to deepening democratic system in the country.
The governor who spoke when he received the Deputy Inspector General of Police, (DIG) Biodun Alabi at the Government House, Osogbo called on security agencies to avoid political partisanship and focus on impartial discharge of their state duties.
A statement by the spokesperson to the governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed stated that Adeleke described Osun as a sensitive state saying state governors and other elected officials have a duty in line with the constitution to create and ensure an atmosphere of peace for good governance.
“Nigeria as a federation specifically structured its agencies to maintain national stability. The state governor is the chief security officer. It will amount to an aberration for any service chief to disobey lawful directive for maintenance of law and order. Never should anything be done to undermine the state leadership.
“We must never politicise security. Our allegiance is to the constitution which spells out duties and responsibilities of all agencies and officials of state.
“On our part, we will not ask law enforcement officers to do anything illegal. As such we will not tolerate any security officer taking illegal action or obeying illegal directives from non-state entities.”
While commending the close partnership between the state government and the security agencies, Governor Adeleke said his government places high premium on law and order, adding “we know and understand the importance of the security agencies particularly the Nigerian police service.”
Earlier, DIG Alabi said he was in the state as part of duty-tour directive as issued by the Inspector General of Police, noting that the visitation was to get a situation report for the improvement of policing in the country.