By Ephraim Oseji

A chieftain of Peoples  Democratic Party, PDP, and former Delta State governorship aspirant, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, has said the worsening security situation in the country would improve if state governors, who are often referred to as Chief Security Officers of the states, were given the opportunity to control security apparatus in their states.

Onuesoke in a statement, yesterday, questioned why state governors are called Chief Security Officers but do not have the necessary powers to control the security apparatus made up of the military and police force.

Onuesoke pointed out  that although Section 215 (4) of  1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) puts the Commissioner of Police under the control of the state governors, but they take instruction from the Inspector General of Police at the federal level,  adding that this has prevented the governors from  acting  effectively in cases of crisis.

He said: “The governors are not in control of the police, they do not determine who gets posted to any state as Commissioner of Police. If they give the Commissioner of Police directives, the Commissioners of Police can decide to flout the directives. They are not in control of the police or military. How do you want them to perform as Chief Security Officer?”

He suggested that with the current spate of insecurity in the country, the constitution should be amended to give room for the creation of state police that will be directly under the control of the governor for effective security check up.

He said: “There still will be the need for federal police to look after federal territories and what I call major entry points – international airports and seaports. The Federal Government can have mobile police and station them in strategic places, and only deployed when the state governor requires for it.

“Despite arguments against state police, notably the possibility of abuse by governors, the merit of having it outweighs whatever dangers there maybe.

“I know there are fears, and honestly, they are not misplaced. However, I like to believe that these fears are not in any way greater than the good inherent in having state police in Nigeria.”