By Samuel Oyadongha,  Yenagoa
The recent surge of insecurity in some parts of the country may have informed the agitation for state police in some quarters as the panacea to the lingering scourge. But others have kicked against this saying it would turn some state governors into despots.

In Bayelsa State where the wound of the defunct Operation Famou Tangbe is yet to heal most of the residents who spoke to Saturday Vanguard were vociferous in their opposition to the call for state police saying it would be hijacked by the powerful few in society to do their bidding at the detriment of the majority.

But the pioneer civilian governor of the state, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and the National Youth Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Mr. Ebikibina Miriki, said there was nothing wrong with the state police, insisting that the state is more familiar with the terrain they are expected to police and stand a better chance to prevent and deter crimes

Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and Senator Clever Ikisikpo

For  Chief Alamieyeseigha, the demand was timely and proper especially in a supposed federal state like Nigeria.

“There is nothing wrong in the agitation for the creation of state police in this country. The demand is timely and proper but the modalities for operational efficiency should be worked out to minimize conflict.

The former governor who faulted claims that state police would lead to the dismemberment of the country said it would rather improve security in the country. “The demand for state police is a very simple matter. It is right and this is the time. But there are modalities.

There must be federal police and there must be state police. The modus operadi have to be worked out where the federal police will be involved and where the state police would be involved. It is the understanding that matters and it will work perfectly,” he declared.

Similarly, the National Youth Leader, Action Congress of Nigeria ACN, Mr. Ebikibina Miriki aligned himself with Alamieyeseigha’s view saying the creation of state police would further strengthen security in the country.

“We more than ever before need state policing to check the security challenges facing the nation. The Boko Haram scourge has exposed the inability of the over stretched Nigerian police to effectively contain the spate bombing and senseless killings in the Northern part of the country not to mention the upsurge in armed robbery, kidnapping, ritual killings and assassinations, cult war and killings among others in the country.

All these are pointer to the fact that there is a need for paradigm shift in line with the practice of true federalism. Concentration and regulating the activities of the police from the centre is unhelpful and a security risk. There is the need for state police,” he said.

But those against state police said the country was not ripe for the practice and as such the idea should be discarded for now.

Senator Clever Ikisikpo representing Bayelsa East senatorial district in an interview with Saturday Vanguard declared that the country was not ripe for the creation of state police due to the inordinate ambition of some state governors.He recalled the excesses of the defunct Bayelsa security outfit ‘Operation Famou Tangbe’ an outfit funded by the state government and feared by many as the terror machine of the former Governor Timipre Sylva administration.

Though the security outfit succeeded in reducing crime rate in the state especially in Yenagoa the state capital but it was high handed and violated the rights of the citizens and perceived opponents of the administration as well as its alleged involvement in extra judicial killings.

“I don’t believe in state police. I am a politician; I know what governors can do. Despite the fact that the police are from the federal, of course, you are eyewitnesses to Famou Tangbe. You saw how some of the governors use the police when they have the opportunity. “Tell me, what will happen when they are the chief security officers over sighting the police, how it will look like?”

Senator Ikisikpo said though the country has about 350,000 policemen, if those in support of state police feel we don’t have enough they are free to ask the federal government to recruit more personnel instead of calling for the creation of state police.

For the Founding Director, Ijaw Council for Human rights, (ICHR) Comrade Patterson Ogon the issue of state police should be discarded for now citing the inherent contradiction in the Nigerian democratic experiment.

Ogon who is one of the architects of the famous Kaiama Declaration posited, “The confusion and debate over the creation of state police remains of the biggest challenges in the current Nigeria democratic experiment.

Sadly, state police will be very unhelpful in building and sustaining the promotion and defence of social justice because the democratic institutions in Nigeria such as the judiciary, police and other organs of law enforcement are so weak and lack the character and content expected to act independently of the executive arm of government.

He also cited the atrocities of the defunct Operation Famou Tangbe in Bayelsa State which was under the control of the then executive arm of government.

Also Comrade Alagos Morris, who is the Bayelsa State Coordinator, Environmental Rights Action as well as the state Secretary, Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) spoke against state police.

He said, “The issue of state police shouldn’t have been a matter of debate if we are actually operating true federalism because it is a feature of a true federalism.

Again, those of us who might be against state police wouldn’t have shown disproval if the right, strong institutions are in place. The right and strong institutions are a mark of sustainable society, maturity and good government. Since these characteristics are lacking presently in Nigeria, it would amount to giving a little child a gun or knife to play with if we accept or allow for state police at this point in our quest for good governance.

“We are not there yet; we lack the maturity and social institutions to make it desirable.

Experiences abound where state governors use the Federal police to perpetrate violation of Human rights. For instance, during the anti fuel protests in Lagos, we saw how leaders like Tunji Braithwaite and other old patriotic Nigerians were tear-gassed through the orders of the state authorities.

“In Bayelsa State, leaders of women who protested in support of the creation of Oil Mineral Commission were arrested and detained. We heard of how a state governor kicked against a senior police officer and took him to Government House for further humiliation.

“Talking about the political terrain, opposition parties will not be allowed space in states where particular parties are in power. Also, with the kind of very ugly human rights violation exhibited by the banned “Operation Famou Tangbe,” where extra judicial killings, torture and extortion were rife in Bayelsa State, we should not allow state police for now. We are not ripe. First thing, put strong institutions in place before we talk about state police.”

In his submission on the contentious issue, the Coordinator South South Element Progressive Union (SSEPU), Comrade Joseph Ambakederimo tow line of Comrade Morris saying, “For me, my opinion is, having state police will be counterproductive to the development of the country. Some of us wouldn’t have been alive today. I will want to say we should forget about the idea for now and continue with the federal police because it is not the best for us now in this country.

“The way the State Independent Electoral Commissions are being run is a pointer to my fear. We are not matured enough to have state police for now. The atrocities of Operation Famou Tangbe, a security outfit kitted with tax payers’ money in Bayelsa State during the Timipre Sylva administration is still fresh in our mind. This was an outfit that was involved in extra judicial killings and all kind of human rights violations of the citizens. So if you ask me, my submission is that we should be contented with the Nigerian Police Force for now.”