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Ajulo Backs State Police in Strong Security Warning
Ondo attorney-general Kayode Ajulo backs state police, urging lawmakers to act as insecurity rises across Nigeria
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ondo State, Kayode Ajulo SAN, declared on Thursday that Nigeria must adopt state policing as a matter of urgency, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s call for a legal review to allow states to create their own security agencies.
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Ajulo made the statement in Abuja as he backed the need for decentralised security, emphasising that only state police can effectively manage the country’s diverse and escalating threats. This firm position follows Tinubu’s recent nationwide security emergency declaration.
Ajulo Backs State Police in response to what he described as a deteriorating national security environment that differs sharply from region to region.
He said the uniform federal structure has become too strained to cope with issues such as herder–farmer clashes in the North, cult-related violence in the South, kidnapping in the Middle Belt and oil theft in the Niger Delta.
He argued that state-level policing would provide cultural fluency, faster intelligence gathering and more accountable interventions.
He cited the South-West Security Network, known as Amotekun, as evidence that decentralised policing can succeed under democratic oversight.
Ajulo said Amotekun’s operations in 2025 created a “security firewall” that disrupted criminal infiltration across state borders, noting that Ondo and Osun recorded significant drops in kidnap incidents.
He stressed that the outfit had achieved these gains despite limited access to arms when compared with federal agencies.
Ajulo praised Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for approving the recruitment of 500 new Amotekun officers and for inaugurating an advanced Control Command Centre that uses drones, surveillance tools and real-time mapping.
He said such investments showed that subnational institutions could innovate and modernise without compromising accountability.
He rejected suggestions that Tinubu’s proposal carried political undertones, calling it a pragmatic response to public distress.
Ajulo urged the National Assembly to act boldly and legislate state policing into existence, warning that hesitation would leave communities increasingly vulnerable.
He said the South-West had demonstrated that regional security outfits could serve as a shield for the public, adding that Nigeria risked further instability if sweeping reforms were not enacted immediately.
Also read: Ajulo Reveals Why Mai Mala Boni Should Step-Down Immediately
Ajulo described state police as a national “necessity” rather than an optional experiment, urging stakeholders to rise to the moment with conviction.
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The Nigerian Air Force has confirmed that all 25 people aboard its ATR-42 aircraft, NAF 931, died after the aircraft crashed in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State.
The aircraft, which had five crew members and 20 passengers on board, was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the NAF 931 aircraft crash occurred on Monday, October 5, 2026. Search-and-rescue operations were immediately activated following the accident.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, described the incident as a deeply painful moment for the Nigerian Air Force and the country, while extending condolences to the families, colleagues and loved ones of those who died.
Aneke assured the bereaved families of the Nigerian Air Force’s full support as they come to terms with the loss.
The Air Force said no survivors had been found and released the names of the five crew members and 20 passengers on board the aircraft.
The crew members were identified as Squadron Leader M.I. Aburime, Flight Captain; Squadron Leader A.P. Man-Ugwueje, Co-pilot; Flight Lieutenant I.S. Bako, Co-pilot; Warrant Officer A. Abubakar, Aircraft Technician; and Corporal H.C. Uguru, Aircraft Technician.
The 20 passengers were Flight Lieutenant T.L. Lazarus; Flight Lieutenant M. Akinloye; Flying Officer I.M. Adeshina; Master Warrant Officer F. Onwuka; Master Warrant Officer B.A. Matini; Warrant Officer F.S. Nuhu; Flight Sergeant R.B. James; Flight Sergeant A.I. Mohammed; Sergeant A.E. Ani; Sergeant S.I. Izibenikien; Sergeant C. Alafuka; Sergeant A.N. Mbadugha; Lance Corporal F.C. Ugwuba; Lance Corporal G.E. Eledan; Mrs Ezeh Nneka; Godstmine Tarabina; Joy Micheal; Sunday Micheal; Ukeme David; and Gideon Omotola.
The latest figure released by the Air Force differs from the initial information provided after the crash. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo had initially said 32 people, comprising 25 passengers and seven crew members, were aboard the aircraft. The Nigerian Air Force subsequently clarified that the manifest contained 25 people, made up of five crew members and 20 passengers.
The aircraft crashed in a swampy area around Igbokoda, close to a naval base, after air traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 9:13am while it was travelling from Benin to Lagos. The wreckage was later located and rescue teams were deployed to the area.
The cause of the crash has not been established. The Chief of the Air Staff has directed a comprehensive investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident.
President Bola Tinubu had also directed the Nigerian Air Force to conduct a thorough investigation into the crash and declared three days of national mourning for the personnel who died. He ordered that national flags be flown at half-mast throughout the country in honour of the victims.
The Air Force said it would continue to provide timely and verified information as the investigation progresses. It also urged members of the public to avoid speculation and the circulation of unverified information, while respecting the privacy and dignity of the affected families.
A condolence register has been opened at the Headquarters of the Nigerian Air Force in Abuja for senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, heads of security agencies and other well-wishers who wish to pay their respects and convey messages of sympathy to the families of the deceased and the Nigerian Air Force.
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