Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has cautioned against politicising the recent abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State, urging security agencies to focus on rescuing victims and addressing the country’s security challenges.
Falana made the remarks on Friday when he appeared as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Reacting to comments by some political figures over the incident, Falana criticised attempts to attribute the abduction to political opponents without providing evidence.
He said a minister and a former governor “are currently inciting people in Oyo State by politicising the tragedy of our people.
“How can anybody in their right sense say, ‘I know it was a state government that kidnapped the children’? Please, if you know this, go to the police, go to the State Security Service and lodge a complaint,” he said.
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The senior lawyer questioned why those making such allegations had failed to report them to the authorities.
“Somebody says, ‘I know the politicians [who] are responsible.’ Why have you not reported them? Because the parents of those children who were kidnapped are listening to these statements,” Falana added.
The senior lawyer also called on President Bola Tinubu to prioritise the welfare and operational capacity of security agencies.
“Equip the armed forces, motivate the armed forces, equip the police force, and motivate the operatives working in the security sector,” he urged.
Falana’s remarks come amid growing concerns over mass kidnappings in some parts of the country.
The abduction of 39 pupils and seven teachers from schools in Oyo State on May 15, as well as the kidnapping of 42 pupils in Borno State the same day, have drawn national outrage.
About three weeks since the abduction, the victims have yet to regain their freedom.
The attacks have sparked outrage, protests by teachers, and intensified security efforts by the federal and state governments to secure the victims’ release.
Questions Over State Police Proposal
Discussions have intensified over the proposed establishment of state police across the country in the wake of the abductions.
On Thursday, the Presidency announced progress towards creating the constitutional framework required to decentralise policing, following months of consultations involving the Presidency, the National Assembly, and security agencies
However, Falana expressed reservations about the push for state police, arguing that authorities should first address the challenges affecting existing security institutions.
“These guys are only interested in creating agencies without funding them to work. We do not have a federal government police; we have a federal police. That is why it is called the Nigeria Police Force,” he said.
According to him, the Nigerian Police Council, constitutionally responsible for administering and supervising the police, has been largely inactive despite including all 36 state governors as members.
“The governors since 1999 have always abdicated their constitutional duty to the president. So the President alone administers, supervises and organises the Nigeria Police Force, contrary to the provisions of the Constitution,” Falana stated.
He noted that many states already operate local security outfits such as the Amotekun Corps, Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, and the Civilian Joint Task Force in Borno State.
“We already have state police. What is missing is proper support, coordination, and access to equipment,” he argued.
Falana questioned how a new state police structure would be funded, stressing that existing security personnel are often inadequately equipped to confront heavily armed criminal groups.
“How can you ask security personnel to go to the forest and confront criminals armed with AK-47 rifles? The Amotekun operatives and others are only allowed to carry locally made weapons,” he said.
