By Braeyi Ekiye

The current debates on state policing, its pros and cons have been very enlightening. The debates so far have been constructive and forceful in our bid to ensure security and justice for all Nigerians.

There is no gain saying that the present debilitating effect of insecurity across the country has further increased the clamour for the creation of state police.

Indeed, the pros and cons of a state police in Nigeria are as convincing, so much so that, one is left in utter bewilderment and in a state of helplessness likened to being between the devil and the deep blue sea. Nigerians are therefore, left in a difficult situation where they have to choose between a state police formation or the present status quo of the central federal police command structure as provided in Section 214 (2)(a) and 215(2) of the 1999 Constitution, and Section 6 of the Police Act, 1990 laws which provide that the “the Force shall be commanded by the Inspector-General of Police”.

In a report filed on www.reddit.com platform recently, a compilation of the pros and cons of having a state police in Nigeria if one is created was published. Possible benefits of state police include:

1. Improved knowledge of local context: officers recruited and trained locally could have a deeper understanding of the specific issues and needs of their environment.
2. Increased accountability: state governments would be directly responsible for police performance, potentially leading to greater responsiveness and oversight.
3. Enhanced community policing: closer ties between communities and their police force could foster trust and cooperation, improving crime prevention and detection.
4. Reduced burden on federal resources: distributing policing responsibilities could free up federal resources for other national security concerns.

However, concerns also exist in the eventual formation of State Police in the country:

1. potential for abuse of power: state governments could misuse police forces for political or personal gain, undermining human right and security.
2. Exacerbating of ethnic tensions: the politicization of police forces could worsen existing ethnic divisions and conflicts within the country.
3. Financial and logistical challenges: stability and maintaining effective state police forces would require significant resources and logistical planning.
4. Lack of national coordination: concern exist regarding how to maintain national security and co-ordination in the absence of a united federal police force.

From the above, it goes without saying that the formation of state police in Nigeria is a complex one which requires studied work of the potential benefits and setbacks alongside indept planning and the identification of safeguards to tackle potential risks or dangers of state policing.

The Monday, 22 April, 2024 one-day National Dialogue on State Policing organized by the Federal House of Representatives in Abuja clearly brought to the fore the divided nature of opinions on state policing.

The boss of the Nigeria Police Force, Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun came plain and forceful, when he stated that, Nigeria was not mature for state police, for it would be open to abuse by state governors of the 36 states of the federation including Abuja, the federal capital city. The IGP noted that rather than create state police, the challenges militating against effective policing in Nigeria should be addressed.

In contrast to IGP Egbetokun’s stand, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, Minister of Police Affairs, backed the establishment of state police. Senator Gaidam said a more decentralized police force will help tackle rising insecurity in the country, adding that state police will enhance local exclusiveness.

Nigeria’s president Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who flagged the dialogue open, urged participants to consider the implications of state police. The president observed that the idea of state policing was not just a mere policy proposal but also a potential milestone in the evolution of the nation’s law enforcement framework that would create the opportunity to fashion law enforcement in a manner that will closely address the various demands of communities across the country.

Yet, a group at the National Assembly dialogue, called on government to address the unrelenting welfare challenges of the central police before adopting state police. Then there were those who came in strong support for state policing. These include former president Goodluck Jonathan who stated that the nation cannot manage her internal security challenges without state police, adding that, government should concentrate on how to manage state police in a way that would not be hijacked by the political class.

Jonathan advised that the traditional institution and royal fathers should be given roles to play and be engaged in maintaining peace and order in their respective domains in the new state policing order.

Others who endorsed state policing include Senate president Godswill Akpabio who said that such a move, however, must take into consideration a state police that should be free from politics and ethno-religious extremism.

Former military ruler, General Abdusalami Abubakar, stated that for state police to succeed in its peace keeping mandate in society, state governors must be transparent, responsible and honest in making citizens go about their normal duties freely and under a secured environment.

The Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi in his remarks urged the National Assembly to swing into action toward the implementation of state police.

On his part, Emeritus Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, said the IGP’s complaints on the challenges of policing such as welfare, funding, equipment for the personnel be addressed before considering state police.

From the independent-minded contributions on the pros and cons of state policing, it is clear that there is still a great deal of work to be done before the creation of state police in the country, if at all.

Perhaps, we should further interrogate IGP Egbetokun’s submission that rather than create state police, the challenges militating against effective policing in Nigeria should be addressed squarely. There is no doubt that this piecemeal interrogation or feeble review of thorny issues in our Constitution, which have continued to pose serious threat to our existence as a nation will not do. The time is now for us to frontally tackle these problems that have festered for so long, to wit: the national question which encompasses issues such as; restructuring (true fiscal federalism/devolution of powers), resources control and ownership, leadership, citizenship, democracy, governance, obnoxious and archaic petroleum and land laws etc. These are the issues at stake. Equally important is the fashioning of a new Nigerian Constitution, the present document which has been adjudged by legal luminaries, critical stakeholders of the Nigerian project and ethnic nationality groups as fraudulent and unworkable. Nigeria’s problem is, therefore, not in the debate for or against state policing. It is like putting the cart before the horse. The greater should come first before the lesser, for this nation to be seamlessly administered politically and economically. In this case, the greater is the restructuring of the Nigerian State.

The compelling need, therefore, for the unbundling of the fraudulent 1999 Nigerian Constitution and the crafting of a new one which Nigerians can affirm to as their legal document for proper and equitable governance of the Nigerian state, cannot be over-emphasized.

A Tinubu presidency affords Nigeria the finest hour to tackle these issues judging by his pedigree as an astute and unrepentant fighter for freedom, equity and justice. Our expectation is that the president would audaciously exhibit the courage of conviction and the political will to mobilize the various arms of government, critical stakeholders and ethnic nationality groups to address the aforementioned issues to usher in the practice of True Fiscal Federalism in the governance of the Nigerian State, for her component units to have a breath of fresh air devoid of overbearing influences or dictates from an over-powerful centre.

That way, Nigeria and Nigerians can truly start building a nation where no man is oppressed, and where peace, security and plenty abound.

Braeyi Ekiye, Publisher, EnvironmentWatch. Writes from Yenagoa.

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• Date: Wednesday, 24^th April, 2024.