Recently, President Bola Tinubu once again renewed the hope of Nigerians that his administration is still considering the option of creation of state police.
According President Tinubu, this is to stem the tide of growing insecurity in the country.
He also said that a state police system is in a better condition to address Nigeria’s escalating security concerns, which has become a daily issue.
The President made this known while speaking in a meeting with a delegation of Katsina elders at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. He also acknowledged the need for localizing security efforts in the country.
President Tinubu revealed the plans of his administration to adequately equip forest guards who were recently deployed in the North West, especially Kaduna state a region grappling with repeated bandit attacks in recent times.
In a press statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President further stressed the importance of bringing down security checks to the local environment.
According to President Tinubu,“Security outfits that understand the terrain, respect the culture, and can connect with communities are essential.”.
“We must defeat insecurity. We have approved the purchase of more drones and instructed security agencies to reassess and energize their strategies.
“I am reviewing all aspects of our national security. I have to create a state police.
“Our children, our people, places of worship, and public spaces must be protected. We will not be intimidated.”
“State police was on our agenda, but we couldn’t get to it because of the many presentations we had. It will be fully discussed at our next meeting.”
Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF) throws weight behind state police creation
Few days after the renewed resolution to create state police in the country, the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) has thrown its weight behind the proposal.
According to the NGF, this will help stem the tide of worsening insecurity in the region and across the country.
Disclosing their resolution, Isma’ila Uba Misilli, director-general of press affairs to the chairman of the NSGF and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, said this is a right step in a right direction.
In his words, “regarding state police creation, as far as Northern governors are concerned, they have already made their position known when they met with the traditional leaders in Kaduna’
Explaining further, he revealed that the governors of the 19 Northern states are unity with the decision and so unanimously throw their full weight to the creation of the state police to join other forces in curtailing the menace of insecurity in the region and the country in general.
The NGF however, called on the National Assembly to expedite action to provide laws that would enable its establishment.
“They unanimously adopted it and asked the National Assembly to expedite action. So now it’s not within their own mandate, but it is with the National Assembly to provide a law for its establishment.
“The forum is fully in support of the creation of the state police,” Misilli explained.
The ACF supports state police creation.
In the same vein, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has said that there is no other better time to create state police than now, amidst the growing banditry and criminal activities in the region..
ACF, however, said it would be a welcome development if the state police would solve the nation’s persistent security challenges.
Speaking with newsmen recently, the ACF National Publicity Secretary Prof. T. A. Muhammad-Baba said the forum had yet to take an official position and that all constitutional modalities must be explored.
In his words, “the issue of state police has been on for a long time now, but what are the modalities put in place to create state police? What about the funding? Do you see how some states have issues with salary payments to civil servants? How well prepared are states to fund state police when created? What will happen if state police operatives with arms are not paid at the end of the month, like civil servants?”
“Some people have expressed concerns that state police will be used by the governors against political opponents and critics. What assurances are there that it will not be a tool for governors to use against opponents?
“For Mr President to create state police, the process should involve constitutional amendment procedures through the National Assembly,” ACF spokesperson said.
Recall that a day earlier, governors from the six North-East states comprising Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe had a far-reaching discussion with President Tinubu in Abuja.
WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that during the meeting, they decried the worsening insecurity in some parts of the sub-region while calling for more decisive action against criminalities.
Nevertheless, with such discussion, the governors’ forum has joined several voices demanding overhauling in Nigeria’s security architecture.
Opposition to state police creation
As the support for the creation of police continues to grow, so does the opposition to its creation.
By and large, the Northern Progressive Elders Group has expressed their strong opposition to the creation of state police in Nigeria, cautioning the Federal Government to look before it leaps with regards to the state policing.
They cautioned federal against succumbing to mounting pressure for decentralised policing in the country.
Speaking on behalf of the group, senior member Yusuf Abubakar warned recently that the proposed security model could fuel political crises rather than resolve insecurity.
He went further to state that Nigeria’s major challenge is not absence of multiple security outfits but rather, due to the politicisation of security itself.
In his words, “Today, people celebrate attacks on communities based on political affiliations,” pointing out that both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been guilty of weaponising tragedy for political gains.
The group stressed that the solution to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity is not the creation of state-controlled police forces but rather the promotion of justice, fairness, and rule of law across the federation.
“Instead of creating state police that governors could use against their opponents, what Nigeria needs is justice, rule of law, and a fair application of security measures for all citizens.”
“If the federal police can be used to intimidate or suppress opposition, imagine what state-controlled forces could do in the hands of partisan governors,” the group declared.
On his part, former Kaduna Senator Shehu Sani said those clamouring for state police should be ready to face the negative fallouts of their wishes.
Sani, who made his position known on his verified Facebook page, wrote thus; “Those of you wishing and clamouring for the State Police and always opposed to the Federal Police, I wish you well for what you have been wishing for yourselves. When the President finally approves the State Police, you will know the difference between the Federal and the State Police. Enjoy the buffet.”
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