Mixed reactions across geo-political zones over state police

…“Extreme measures needed for extreme situations”

…“Country not ripe for it”

BY BARTH EZE & ORIAKU IJELE

As insecurity takes a toll on quality of life across Nigeria with major stakeholders in the country focusing on immediate steps to mitigate the incessant security breaches, extreme measures, requiring constitutional amendments seem to be uppermost in the minds of many.

Of course, drastic restructuring of the Police to allow for policing at the state level has been mulled by the government at the centre, but the issue is generating mixed reactions across the various geo-political zones of the country.

While some see the move as a step in the right direction, others are looking at the short-term impact, including how that will empower the already rampaging armed groups across the country, struggling to foist their supremacy on the states.

Earlier on Saturday, a retired police officer, and former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Farida Waziri, said the country would live to regret the move if implemented. Speaking, she said Nigeria was not ripe for the idea.

“Yes, they have been talking about state police. But I think we are not ready for state police. I will tell you why: We are having skirmishes over borders where neighbours fight one another, like in Benue, Taraba, Cross River and so on.

“Look, if you try state police and a rich governor gives the state commissioner SUV, gives his wife a Toyota, gives also to his baby mama, he (governor) will pocket him. And anything he wants, he would call the shot. And the attitude of politicians is ‘win or lose or the country breaks’. We are not ready. If the country does state police, they will live to regret it.

“And whose authority would they be answerable to? Would they be answerable to the Inspector General, because they would be taking instructions from the governor? You have to stick to the current security architecture you have.”

No matter where the pendulum swings, the FG may have set the machinery in place for a subtle restructuring of the nation as the resolution may sound well for the agitators of the state police but the consequences may not be palatable for a country so ‘tribalized and ethnicized’.

Last week, on Thursday, February 15, 2024, the Federal Government and state governors in a meeting said they are considering the creation of state police as one of the factors to deal with the security challenges in the country.

President Bola Tinubu and state governors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, agreed to consider the option of state police.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, briefing journalists after the meeting, explained that the process is still in its infancy and would only take shape after more deliberations between stakeholders.

“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,” he said.

“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.

“A lot of meetings will have to happen between the Federal Government and the sub-nationals to see the modalities of achieving this. Now, these are some of the issues that have been discussed.”

Many Nigerians are expressing fears over the option stating that it’s like accommodating the militia men and giving them arms in the name of state police.

Already all the 37 states have directly or indirectly created state police in their states while the six-geo political zones already have their state-police as vigilantes working hand-in hand with the state governments.

Dr. Kayode Fayemi, worried by the inability of the federal police to tackle insecurity in his state created the Amotekun security outfit to deal with situations the Nigerian police will not take on in time.

Already, states in the South-West geopolitical zone have formed the Amotekun, while their counterparts in the South-East also created state-owned security outfit, Ebube Agu.

Also recall that in Benue, there is Benue Guards, and they have also been operational in Benue State in the North Central, while states like Katsina, Zamfara and other bandit-prone sub-nationals have also come up with similar state-established outfits.

These outfits have not been effective as anticipated as they don’t have the backing of the Federal Government or the Presidency while states continue to demand that Amotekun, Ebube Agu and others are granted license to bear assault rifles like AK-47 to confront lethal gun-totting marauders.

Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate, Niger Delta Liberation Front, Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force, Niger Delta Vigilante, Oodua People’s Congress, Yan Tatsine, Eastern Security Network, Egbesu, Ijaw Youth Council, Islamic State – West Africa Province, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, Niger Delta Avengers, Ansaru, Arewa People’s Congress, Bakassi Boys, Bakassi Movement for Self-Determination, Biafra Liberation Army, Biafra Zionist Front, and Civilian Joint Task Force are already in operation in their states and localities and it’s obvious that their actions are despicable even when they operates illegally having no backing of the Federal government.

The fears of Nigerians are expressed keenly on the regional socio-political groups such as Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Middle Belt Forum, and the Northern Elders’ Forum, calling for state police repeatedly as solution to the increasing security challenges confronting the nation but the politics behind it may not be suitable for the country.

Hassan Yusuf, a political and social commentator in Abuja, said the first civil war was easily conceived because of the state police kind of arrangement. He said with the creation of state police, Nigeria may be moving towards regional system of governance.

According to him, states cannot fund the state police because of funding in it, shortage of quality personnel, funding, expanded traffic problems, equipment, antiquated penal codes, public relations, and grievance procedures, but these problems can be addressed.

He warned that the creation of state police is likely going to split Nigeria, stressing that politicians would use it against their political opponents.

He added that it’s going to give the state governors overbearing power to do what they like having power of incumbency attached to their portfolios which might cause them to tamper with the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.

He emphasized that state police is a readymade-standing army that can be used for secession or declaration of independence by any of the regions.

The analyst stressed that Nigeria is not ripe for state police because of the peculiar nature of Nigeria politics.