State police important to national security

The call for state police has been on the front burner of public discourse for many years. It has generated considerable controversy. Some citizens are against state police because of the fear of abuse by the state governors. They argue that governors will deploy it against their political rivals. However, a majority of Nigerians, and governors, who are the chief security officers of their respective states, believe it is high time state police was established.

Section 215(4) of the 1999 Constitution states, “Subject to the provisions of this section, the governor of a state or such commissioner of the government state as he may authorise in that behalf, may give to the Commissioner of Police of that state such lawful directions with respect to the maintenance and securing of public safety and public order within the state as he may consider necessary, and the Commissioner of Police shall comply with those directions or cause them to be complied with: Provided that before carrying out any such directions under the foregoing provisions of this subsection the Commissioner of Police may request that the matter be referred to the President or such minister of the Government of the Federation as may be authorised in that behalf by the President for his directions.”

It is pellucid from the above that only a constitutional amendment can lead to the formation of state police. Unfortunately, none of the 68 constitution amendment bills voted on by the National Assembly in March 2022 included the issue of state police, despite the worsening insecurity in the country.

How can one Inspector-General of Police, even if he were superhuman, from Abuja determine the security architecture for every village and hamlet in a vast territory with over 250 ethnic nationalities? The general opinion is that the Owo massacre, among many others, might have been prevented or the environment made difficult for such a grisly attack if there were state police.

While one acknowledges the possible flipside of decentralising the police, it is obvious that the merits far outweigh any potential demerit. Besides, no state helmsman will be invested with absolute control over the police outfit.

With Boko Haram attacks, banditry, kidnapping for ransom, and armed robbery, ravaging the entire country, it is time for state police. Law enforcement officers will be exceptionally effective in combating crime when they work among their own people and in their own terrain or local environment.

Every developed society operates a multi-layer policing system. Nigeria cannot be an exception. Therefore, the National Assembly should kick-start, without further ado, the process of constitutional amendment that will lead to the establishment of state police.

It should be recalled that Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State in April donated 25 security patrol vehicles and surveillance drones to the police in the presence of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to beef up the security of lives and property of residents of the state.

He had previously handed over security patrol vehicles, motorcycles, protective tools, and communication gadgets among others to prevent residents from incessant kidnapping, armed robbery and cultism ravaging the Sagamu, Ijebu and Abeokuta axes of the state.

Governors must come up with a strong and holistic approach in tackling insecurity in their respective states to significantly enhance the safety and well-being of their communities.

• Adémólá Òrúnbon can be reached via [email protected]