That the Federal Government and governors of the 36 states of the federation have agreed to set up state police as the nation struggles to curtail insecurity is major news making the rounds.
The agreement was reached during an emergency meeting between President Bola Tinubu and the governors, which took place at the presidential villa in Abuja last Thursday.
Also in attendance at the meeting called at the instance of the President was Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who briefed the media after the meeting in company of Governors Sheriff Oborevweri (Delta State), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau State) and Ubah Sani (Kaduna State), disclosed the development.
While acknowledging that both the federal and state governments are ruminating the idea, Idris said a series of meetings are in the pipeline to determine the modalities for the setting up of the state police, adding therefore that nothing concrete has yet been determined.
He said, “Now, there is also a discussion around the issue of state police. The Federal Government and the state governments are mulling the possibility of setting up state police. “Of course, this is still going to be further discussed. A lot of work has to be done in that direction.
Both the Federal Government and the state governments agree on the necessity of having state police; now this is a significant shift. But as I said, more work needs to be done in that direction.”
According to the minister, the meeting observed that the security situation in the country has significantly improved, pointing out that farmers have returned to farmlands that were hitherto inaccessible due to insecurity in places such as Borno, Jigawa, and Plateau States and others.
Idris also said that the meeting discussed the need to improve the numerical strength of forest rangers and train them to keep the farms and borders safe.
“If President Tinubu wants to succeed in this, he should be ready to step on toes because there are behind the scenes rulers of this country who are using insecurity to amass wealth”
He affirmed that the president and the governors applauded the security agencies for the work they are doing, saying, “Some of them even pay the supreme price with their lives to ensure that Nigerians have a secure environment. They have thanked Mr. President for all that he’s doing. And they have also asked him to do more so that, at the end of the day, we will have a completely secured Nigeria.”
However, numerous Nigerians of all strata have reacted to the news since it broke out.
While some hailed the President and the governors for arriving at a compromise decision that will go a long way to eradicate the incessant insecurity in the country, others remain skeptical about the workability since it’s a constitutional matter that would need the Senate to give its approval before it becomes operational by embarking on genuine constitution amendment without further delay.
Process should be transparent, open – HURIWA
The National Coordinator of Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, Emmanuel Onwubiko, on his part said the National Assembly ought to listen to the voices of Nigerians who are buffeted by attacks from armed non state actors, terrorists, kidnappers, and many rogue elements in Nigeria who have engineered the heightened state of insecurity by collaborating with state governments and the federal executive arm of government to set in motion the creation of a state police through a thorough constitutional reforms that would make the state police autonomous from the whims and caprices of the politicians who dominate the 36 states as governors and who are currently going about their duties as if they are emperors.
“The National Assembly, in making the law for the creation of state police, must make provision for the command and control of these state police not to be domiciled in the hands of governors but a collective governing board made up of representatives of all spectrum of citizens including professional bodies, military and federal police and of course the 36 states with one representative each to be the body that will decide the operational strategies of the various state police so the governors do not convert the state police into their killer gangs for political reasons.
“This process of creating state police should be transparent and open and thoroughly debated by Nigerians at open fora in the National Assembly before a general legislative framework or constitutional amendments are effected to create state police. The state police is an idea whose time has come.”
Lawyer and social commentator Johnbosco Ayuba believes that the decision, though yet to be concluded, is a welcome development especially when the security apparatuses of the nation seem to have been overwhelmed by the non-state actors who have by the aid of vicious politicians become the laws of the land.
“There’s no better time to have this done than now and that is why I believe it is a very well thought decision by the President and the governors to put the country first above all other interests. Former President Muhammadu Buhari had the ample opportunity to get this done but he allowed his tribal and religious minded aides to deceive him. We should not be debating about this by now but be that as it was, President Tinubu has shown his hunger to lead a secured country. All Nigerians expect from them is to be sincere and honest with the move not to see it as an avenue to score a cheap political point only to come back to give us thousands and one reason it could not work. If they do, history will not forgive them.”
He however opined that the establishment of state police is a constitutional matter and added that it would bring a very good working relationship between the executive and the legislature, in this case, the national assembly to midwife it by genuinely embarking on constitution amendment.
“Everyone knows that the matter of establishing state police is a constitutional matter. It’s not what the executive can wake up and establish.
It calls for a constitutional amendment. This is where the legislature comes in. Since the President and the governors have mulled the idea and showed their willingness to get it done, their political counterparts in the legislature both at the national and state assemblies should embrace the idea without playing ethnic and religious politics. They should treat the bill with the speed of light as an emergency. I don’t want to talk about the demerits because there’s always two sides of a coin, let’s first focus on the merits, get it established to curtail insecurity. If in the later days the operators misuse it, then Nigerians will know what next to be done. But as for now, state police are inevitable.”
Another lawyer and human rights activist, Tony Ororoho wants the leadership of the national and state assemblies to take it from where the President and the governors have left it.
“I applaud Mr. President and the governors for at least mulling over the idea of restoring the country’s security. This is a move to stabilize our democracy and get the country working again. Consider the number of youth that would be employed, the number of families that would be lifted from economic suffering. Above all, the life and prosperity that would be secured thereby ending these senseless killings here and there. My fears are that the propagators should not turn to a political gimmick. I can say it a million times, Nigeria needs operational state police, the time of kidding with its establishment is over. The entire world sees Nigeria as a death destination. If anyone is traveling to Nigeria, his or her relations believe he or she has signed a death warrant. So, President Tinubu should not only mull over the establishment, he should hit the ground running in getting this done and that should be treated as a state of emergency.”
Ororoho further tasked the President not to succumb to any negative influence that might come from the behind the scene rulers of the country who have never allowed any government in power a breathing space in giving the people good governance.
“If President Tinubu wants to succeed in this, he should be ready to step on toes because there are behind the scenes rulers of this country who are using insecurity to amass wealth. They have their knives at the throat of every sitting President and when they do not get what they want, they make the country ungovernable. He should for once, be on the side of the masses that are at the receiving end of the unfathomable hardship his administration has brought as a continuation of Buhari’s. The establishment of state police will end kidnapping and banditry. So, why delay? This is commendable.”
A Rights Advocacy Group, Nigeria Must Survive, has called on the National Assembly to step into the matter and propel the President and the governors to work their talk in this matter.
Spokesperson of the Group, CosyJoe Christian said it is the turn of the Senate to step in and propel the President and the governors to expedite action and roll out modalities to make it work.
“One thing is to mull a good idea, another is to make it work. The news said they are still mulling over it but we want to say, it is long overdue. Since the President summoned that emergency security meeting and they came up with an idea of establishing a state police, I want to believe that Mr. President has done what he should, he has shown us with his body language the plan he has for our security, therefore, the lawmakers should now join forces with him irrespective of party leaning. Insecurity does not know party, religion or ethnicity. Let’s join hands in demobilizing the enemies of our country and the fastest way out is the establishment of state police.”
It’s ray of hope – Ohanaeze
In a related development, the apex lgbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, has lauded the federal government and state governors for agreeing to the establishment of a state police across the country.
Ohanaeze had been a leading advocate for the creation of state police as a strategic measure to address the prevailing security challenges in the country.
A statement signed on Friday by Ohanaeze’s factional Secretary-General, Mazi Okechukwu lsiguzoro, said the decision reflects a realisation that security is a local matter, and community policing is the indispensable ingredient needed to combat insecurity, especially in the South-east region.
Ohanaeze said the implementation of the state police aligns with one of the key recommendations of the 2014 Constitutional Conference reports, which the previous administration under President Muhammadu Buhari failed to act upon due to apprehension.
“We commend President Bola Tinubu for indirectly steering the implementation of this vital recommendation. This momentous decision brings an end to the era of fear concerning the deployment of Igbo and Christian personnel to Boko Haram-controlled areas.
“Ndigbo insist that they firmly believe that the establishment of state police is the long-awaited answer to our prayers, a crucial step towards resolving the pervasive security challenges plaguing our nation”
“In the past, Igbo youth perceived police recruitment exercises as potential death sentences, fearing they would be posted to Northern regions grappling with Boko Haram terrorists and banditry. However, with the introduction of state police and community policing, a new ray of hope emerges,” it said.
The body said the creation of state police and the embrace of community policing presents remarkable avenues for job creation, specifically addressing the massive youth unemployment crisis.
It suggested the deployment of personnel within their respective localities to ensure that every employed individual serves their community with unwavering dedication.
“Consequently, with the President’s recent pronouncement on increased police recruitment, Igbo youths will wholeheartedly seize this opportunity, unburdened by the fear of deployment to the North.
“Ndigbo insist that they firmly believe that the establishment of state police is the long-awaited answer to our prayers, a crucial step towards resolving the pervasive security challenges plaguing our nation.
“We express our unwavering commitment to supporting and collaborating with the government and relevant stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of this landmark decision.”
Recently, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders registered and established a nationwide vigilante which was vehemently opposed by some Nigerians claiming that such would aggravate the already high tensed insecurity in the country.
