Why-i-dont-support-the-establishment-of-state-police
September 7, 2020 | News
WHY I DON’T SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF STATE POLICE
My opinion here, is primarily due to the obvious fact that Nigerian politicians at the State levels as we know them, will use such power of State Police to assassinate political opponents and critics of their Governments at the State levels, amongst other negative attributes. They might even recruit their ‘political thugs’ and miscreants as their State police, to actualize their dominance and influence on State politics.
Agreed that the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) seriously needs more attention and proper funding, however, I strongly believe that Nigeria, as it is at the moment; is not yet ripe nor has it attained the required ‘maturity’ to have State Police like we have in the United States of America (US). The State Governors should focus more on building needed infrastructure and stop stealing and misappropriating public funds. State police will not end insecurity. When the citizenry are well fed, and our youths are gainfully employed, then we would have reduced unemployment, which has been the avenue that breeds all kinds of crimes amongst our youths in the first place.
The call for the introduction of State Police has lingered for long now. In fact, the decentralization of the Nigeria Police to accommodate State Police was even included amongst the 633 Recommendations contained in the National Conference Report, which many are calling on the current Presidency to implement. To some Nigerians, it is a very good idea. And the same argument has been put forward to back this. Most of which is hinged on the fact that it is because of the inadequacies associated with Federally–controlled-Police to combat crimes and insecurity in the country, lack of competence, clumsy procedures and processes in the deployment of Police in State of emergency and the lack of control of the Police by Governors as Chief Security Officers in their respective States, etc.
However, no matter how valid or convincing the argument for State Police introduction may sound, the bottom line is that Nigeria, at its present state of ‘political maturity’, is not ripe/mature enough, or does it have what it takes to manage the spill-over effects/disadvantages of State Police across the country. And for us to understand and appreciate the basis for this line of thought, it is imperative to critically look at the indices that make Nigeria not ready to accommodate the demands of State Police like we have in the US and other developed climes. If we allow State Police, that means we will have 36 State Police Forces plus that of the Federal Police Force in the country. This is ludicrous. And also, there are far more pressing issues, considered as the ‘root’ problems of insecurity in this country, which if addressed holistically; this argument of having or not to have State Police would not arise in the first place. Many Nigerians like me, are opposed to the idea of State Police, including some ex-police Chiefs and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF). We believe the idea can best be described as an invitation to Chaos in the country.
Sometime last two years, a former Commissioner of Police, Mr. Samuel Adetuyi (rtd) also urged the National Assembly to desist from altering the provisions of Section 215 of the 1999 Constitution as amended for the sustainability of the nation’s democracy. Adetuyi stressed and warned that such bid would not only be a “recipe for chaos, but also a lethal poison to true federalism in the Nigeria context.” He dispelled the justification for the amendment, which he said was to satisfy the selfish interest of the Governors, whom he emphasized, borne out of his experience in the course of service, to serve the whims and caprices of the State Governors. He remarked that if the directives of the governors are within the purview of the Police Act, it is serious dereliction of duty for any police commissioner to ignore such order.
In the words of Adetuyi: “Most times, what brings conflict is when the Governor asks the Commissioner to do something outside the Police Act,” referring to such excesses when he served as a Commissioner of Police in Kogi State. “I told him that was not my duty. The Governor did not like it and said I was romancing with the opposition party. A few days later, I was transferred to Yobe State, but I did not care.” The ex-police officer turned lawyer who represented the police in the 2014 National CONFAB in Abuja, said the committee on security, only recommended that there should be decentralization of powers for police and not State Police. Adetuyi advocated that instead of creating State Police, the lawmakers should decentralize the Police for better performance and make better legislation to address the ‘poor conditions of police officers.’
This is a Nigerian Police Officer speaking from his experience and painting the exact danger posed by the nation having State Police. The truth is that the National Assembly should not politicize the Nigerian Police Force with any constitution amendment process. They should be very careful with what they do so that we do not have a Police Force with undue interferences from State Governors. For those who are arguing that a State Governor, as the Chief Security Officer of the State should have ‘control’ over the Commissioner of Police in that State, and why should States fund a Police they do not have control over. The real questions are, what has State Governors across the federation been doing with all the so-called Security Votes they get all these years in addressing the security concerns in their respective States? More so, is the Police supposed to be ‘under the control’ of State Governors? The Police is supposed to be a ‘neutral body’ just like the judiciary, and not to be under the control of any State Government. What exactly are they suggesting? Will the Assistant Inspector Generals (AIGs) in each Zones be reporting or directed by State Governors? Will the Deputy Inspector Generals (DIGs) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) be reporting to the Governors? This is a recipe for disaster.
Considering the sort of democracy, we practice in Nigeria, where a typical Nigerian Politician is seen as ‘Lord’ and ‘Master’ over his subjects that supposedly elected him/her into public office, we can imagine what would be of our electoral process and atmosphere at the State level. Obviously, they would use their state police to cause havoc for both their political opponents and the general masses, reminiscent of how some of them had used their state electoral commissioners to have their way up to the political ladder. The Nigerians political class has over the years, succeeded in making the country’s electoral system and the process to be ridden with fraudulent electoral malpractices of the highest order. And they use every instrumentality within their arsenal, including the Police, to achieve their goals to either remain in public office or to enthrone one of their loyalist to continue from where they stopped after leaving office. Now if they can actualize this at the moment, we can imagine what they can do when the State Executives of Government are given the power of State Police – it is a clear ‘death to opposition’ dynamics of our democracy. Seriously, the creation of State Police in Nigeria as it is, will lead to the eventual disintegration of Nigeria. Allowing the State Government to control the Police would lead to anarchy because of existing issues among some States and regions in the country.
As a country operating a Federal System of Government, there is actually nothing absolutely wrong in us having a State Police to reduce the ‘burden’ of the centre in managing this, but because of our ‘style’ of operating the constitution and our disregard for laws and order, coupled with the level of illiteracy and immaturity of most of our public office holders; the establishment of State Police may be too early because we are “democratically immature”. In other words, the introduction of State Police can only be good if, and only if we have the right orientation and discipline amongst the Nigerian political leaders. It will take for us to fully imbibe the right attitudinal behaviours and democratic ideals which are germane to the establishment of State Police. This is to allow us get to a point where State Police will not be used to witch-hunt political opponents by those in power; or whittle down the professionalism in the Police Force; or be used for election rigging plus other unconstitutional attributes. Another factor that needs to be considered here is the fact that most States across the nation cannot afford to adequately fund and maintain a State Police as expected. Some States across the country are still struggling to pay ordinary salaries of public servants with many still owed several months, to the extent that the Federal Government has come to bail them out on few occasions. We can then imagine what will happen if they add the burden of State Police.
The truth is, if our political leaders would stop the ‘stealing and misappropriation of public funds’ and use the money for the holistic development of the State and people, we are certain the insecurity issues in the country will be very minimal. For us, State Police is not a priority project the lawmakers and political leaders should even delve into again. Yes, the NPF needs some reforms, especially in their rank and file, personnel wellbeing, re-training and re-equipping, but all of this can be done without creating State Police. Nigerian Political leaders should use and target their energies on infrastructural development to attract investors and improve the economy.
Zik Gbemre.
May 14, 2020.
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
WHY I DON’T SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF STATE POLICE
My opinion here, is primarily due to the obvious fact that Nigerian politicians at the State levels as we know them, will use such power of State Police to assassinate political opponents and critics of their Governments at the State levels, amongst other negative attributes. They might even recruit their ‘political thugs’ and miscreants as their State police, to actualize their dominance and influence on State politics.
Agreed that the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) seriously needs more attention and proper funding, however, I strongly believe that Nigeria, as it is at the moment; is not yet ripe nor has it attained the required ‘maturity’ to have State Police like we have in the United States of America (US). The State Governors should focus more on building needed infrastructure and stop stealing and misappropriating public funds. State police will not end insecurity. When the citizenry are well fed, and our youths are gainfully employed, then we would have reduced unemployment, which has been the avenue that breeds all kinds of crimes amongst our youths in the first place.
The call for the introduction of State Police has lingered for long now. In fact, the decentralization of the Nigeria Police to accommodate State Police was even included amongst the 633 Recommendations contained in the National Conference Report, which many are calling on the current Presidency to implement. To some Nigerians, it is a very good idea. And the same argument has been put forward to back this. Most of which is hinged on the fact that it is because of the inadequacies associated with Federally–controlled-Police to combat crimes and insecurity in the country, lack of competence, clumsy procedures and processes in the deployment of Police in State of emergency and the lack of control of the Police by Governors as Chief Security Officers in their respective States, etc.
However, no matter how valid or convincing the argument for State Police introduction may sound, the bottom line is that Nigeria, at its present state of ‘political maturity’, is not ripe/mature enough, or does it have what it takes to manage the spill-over effects/disadvantages of State Police across the country. And for us to understand and appreciate the basis for this line of thought, it is imperative to critically look at the indices that make Nigeria not ready to accommodate the demands of State Police like we have in the US and other developed climes. If we allow State Police, that means we will have 36 State Police Forces plus that of the Federal Police Force in the country. This is ludicrous. And also, there are far more pressing issues, considered as the ‘root’ problems of insecurity in this country, which if addressed holistically; this argument of having or not to have State Police would not arise in the first place. Many Nigerians like me, are opposed to the idea of State Police, including some ex-police Chiefs and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF). We believe the idea can best be described as an invitation to Chaos in the country.
Sometime last two years, a former Commissioner of Police, Mr. Samuel Adetuyi (rtd) also urged the National Assembly to desist from altering the provisions of Section 215 of the 1999 Constitution as amended for the sustainability of the nation’s democracy. Adetuyi stressed and warned that such bid would not only be a “recipe for chaos, but also a lethal poison to true federalism in the Nigeria context.” He dispelled the justification for the amendment, which he said was to satisfy the selfish interest of the Governors, whom he emphasized, borne out of his experience in the course of service, to serve the whims and caprices of the State Governors. He remarked that if the directives of the governors are within the purview of the Police Act, it is serious dereliction of duty for any police commissioner to ignore such order.
In the words of Adetuyi: “Most times, what brings conflict is when the Governor asks the Commissioner to do something outside the Police Act,” referring to such excesses when he served as a Commissioner of Police in Kogi State. “I told him that was not my duty. The Governor did not like it and said I was romancing with the opposition party. A few days later, I was transferred to Yobe State, but I did not care.” The ex-police officer turned lawyer who represented the police in the 2014 National CONFAB in Abuja, said the committee on security, only recommended that there should be decentralization of powers for police and not State Police. Adetuyi advocated that instead of creating State Police, the lawmakers should decentralize the Police for better performance and make better legislation to address the ‘poor conditions of police officers.’
This is a Nigerian Police Officer speaking from his experience and painting the exact danger posed by the nation having State Police. The truth is that the National Assembly should not politicize the Nigerian Police Force with any constitution amendment process. They should be very careful with what they do so that we do not have a Police Force with undue interferences from State Governors. For those who are arguing that a State Governor, as the Chief Security Officer of the State should have ‘control’ over the Commissioner of Police in that State, and why should States fund a Police they do not have control over. The real questions are, what has State Governors across the federation been doing with all the so-called Security Votes they get all these years in addressing the security concerns in their respective States? More so, is the Police supposed to be ‘under the control’ of State Governors? The Police is supposed to be a ‘neutral body’ just like the judiciary, and not to be under the control of any State Government. What exactly are they suggesting? Will the Assistant Inspector Generals (AIGs) in each Zones be reporting or directed by State Governors? Will the Deputy Inspector Generals (DIGs) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) be reporting to the Governors? This is a recipe for disaster.
Considering the sort of democracy, we practice in Nigeria, where a typical Nigerian Politician is seen as ‘Lord’ and ‘Master’ over his subjects that supposedly elected him/her into public office, we can imagine what would be of our electoral process and atmosphere at the State level. Obviously, they would use their state police to cause havoc for both their political opponents and the general masses, reminiscent of how some of them had used their state electoral commissioners to have their way up to the political ladder. The Nigerians political class has over the years, succeeded in making the country’s electoral system and the process to be ridden with fraudulent electoral malpractices of the highest order. And they use every instrumentality within their arsenal, including the Police, to achieve their goals to either remain in public office or to enthrone one of their loyalist to continue from where they stopped after leaving office. Now if they can actualize this at the moment, we can imagine what they can do when the State Executives of Government are given the power of State Police – it is a clear ‘death to opposition’ dynamics of our democracy. Seriously, the creation of State Police in Nigeria as it is, will lead to the eventual disintegration of Nigeria. Allowing the State Government to control the Police would lead to anarchy because of existing issues among some States and regions in the country.
As a country operating a Federal System of Government, there is actually nothing absolutely wrong in us having a State Police to reduce the ‘burden’ of the centre in managing this, but because of our ‘style’ of operating the constitution and our disregard for laws and order, coupled with the level of illiteracy and immaturity of most of our public office holders; the establishment of State Police may be too early because we are “democratically immature”. In other words, the introduction of State Police can only be good if, and only if we have the right orientation and discipline amongst the Nigerian political leaders. It will take for us to fully imbibe the right attitudinal behaviours and democratic ideals which are germane to the establishment of State Police. This is to allow us get to a point where State Police will not be used to witch-hunt political opponents by those in power; or whittle down the professionalism in the Police Force; or be used for election rigging plus other unconstitutional attributes. Another factor that needs to be considered here is the fact that most States across the nation cannot afford to adequately fund and maintain a State Police as expected. Some States across the country are still struggling to pay ordinary salaries of public servants with many still owed several months, to the extent that the Federal Government has come to bail them out on few occasions. We can then imagine what will happen if they add the burden of State Police.
The truth is, if our political leaders would stop the ‘stealing and misappropriation of public funds’ and use the money for the holistic development of the State and people, we are certain the insecurity issues in the country will be very minimal. For us, State Police is not a priority project the lawmakers and political leaders should even delve into again. Yes, the NPF needs some reforms, especially in their rank and file, personnel wellbeing, re-training and re-equipping, but all of this can be done without creating State Police. Nigerian Political leaders should use and target their energies on infrastructural development to attract investors and improve the economy.
Zik Gbemre.
May 14, 2020.
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes