By Moses Okorie
The argument on whether state policing in Nigeria should be or not to, has certainly reached its climax, with certain individuals getting so scared that handing over a sensitive duty of controlling police architecture to the state governor will not just enhance security at local levels, but will lead to unprecedented intimidation of perceived enemies and political rivals. While this fear must be seen to be quite germane, going by the negative antecedents of many governors who have made themselves demi-gods in their various states. But “What goes around, comes around” as power is transient. Typical example is the case of a particular governor who wielded so much powers, just few years ago, but today, he is at the receiving end.
Nigeria’s Senate passed a landmark constitutional amendment bill to establish state police across the 36 states. Championed by President Bola Tinubu and moving through the House of Representatives, the legislation shifts the country to a dual-policing system to improve community security and local intelligence gathering.
States can create their own independent police forces that meet minimum national requirements, while the federal police retain control over national security, terrorism, cybercrime, interstate crimes, and border patrol. The bill includes checks and balances, such as protected tenures for police leadership and rules preventing governors from operational interference.
The President retains emergency powers to temporarily take over a state’s force if there is a severe breakdown in law and order. The federal government is expected to provide grants and financial aid to state police forces based on the recommendations of the National Police Council.
Therefore, with all these strategies put in place to give the federal government some forms of control in the case of abuse by the sub-regional governments, one would have less doubt that creation of state police in Nigeria is not all-together a bad idea. It is a policy that must come to be as long as Nigeria remains a federal state. The new policy will first of all provide job opportunity to teeming youths who are seeking for job to earn a living. There would also be more boots on ground in enhancing security of lives and property at the state and local levels.
There would also be the case of inside factor in policing job. Citing an example with the electricity distribution company, their marketers usually adopt a strategy of picking a youth from each community when they go for disconnection to make their customers pay electricity bill. That community member among them is not necessary their worker, but he knows everyone living in that community, and so it gives them some level of confidence that aggrieved customers won’t hurt them due to the presence of their neighbour who can expose them in case of any eventually.
That is how policing would be made very easy if members of the community are directly involved in ensuring security in their local communities, local government areas or states. The idea of posting a newly recruited policeman, for example, from Anambra to Adamawa, when the officer does not even know the terrain, does not understand the language of his host community, how would be know the kind of people living there or even know when there is any plan to attack him, since he does not understand the language and behaviour of the people?
For those who fear the abuse of state governors using state police officers against members of other political parties, their fear is justifiable. Ahead of the 2023 general election, a certain senatorial candidate of an opposition political party suffered serious maltreatment in the hand of Ebube Agu regional security in the southeastern state allegedly influenced by the state governor. This too must be expected that state police will arrest governors’ political opponents.
So, having the governor in charge of police, it would not be anything short of what the governors are using the independent state electoral commission (ISEC) to do during their local government elections, where the ruling party wins all chairmanship and councillorship positions. State police would indeed increase election rigging in favour of the party in power, and embolden the powers of the governors to make or to mar; nevertheless…
But, as is it believed, “Whatever has advantage must equally have disadvantage”. Nigerians should consider state policing as a necessary evil, because of the perceived advantages it would add to the security, economic and social development of the country; from job creation, local security and supporting the already stretched federal police. While state police could be seen to be a tool in the hand of power mongers, it is still not abysmal. We should not throw away the baby with the bath water. State police is a coin of two faces.
Okorie writes from Abuja. +234-8064824416