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Tag: STATE POLICE

  • Ex-NOA officer makes case for state police

    Ex-NOA officer makes case for state police

    • •Unveils four books in Lagos

    A former Chief Programme Officer, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Stephen Oluwatosimin Awosanya, has called on the government to adopt a state police system.

    He spoke on the sidelines of the launch of his four books at the Centre for Management Development (CMD), Magodo, Lagos.

    The books are ‘’Feeding Bottle Federalism’’, ‘’Promoting Democratic Culture’’, ‘’The Prevailing Grace and ‘’Flakes of Nigerian Politics’’.

     Awosanya canvassed support for the ongoing national discourse on state police, saying it would help solve the problem in the system. He argued that since indigenes know their terrain very well, a policeman from the area would excel in that it would be easy for him to do his job as ‘’a son of the soil’’.

    He does not agree that the present police system should continue, noting its many failures. He wondered how a police officer from the south could do well in the North in view of their peculiar cultures, among others.

    Also, Awosanya, who sought support for the implementation of true federalism, as it is a good system of government, however, does not agree with those calling for the creation of more states, despite their reasons. He recalled that the only state created by a civilian government, the Mid-Western Region, was in 1963 and that others were by military administrations. Not only was the process cumbersome, but the objective would also not yield the desired results.

    The Akarigbo, Paramount Ruler of Remo Land, Ogun State, Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, praised the author, who he noted was his secondary school mate, for writing the books, which he said was no feat. The monarch said: I am here to solidarise with the author. He is very close to me. He is very deep and reflective,’’ adding: You will write many more books and win prizes.’’ He launched the books with N1million which would cover the copies he would buy for all kings in Ogun.

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    A co-launcher, Dr. Segun Philips, also praised Awosanya for his efforts in writing the books. He however lamented the poor reading culture among Nigerians, saying that reading is dying. He called for attitudinal change.

    Philips, who is the Managing Director, Sabreworks Real Estate Investment Limited, while seeking support for the books, said they are the gateway to getting knowledge. He also said democracy had come to stay, enjoining Nigerians to support it. Noting that the problem with our democratic system is the leaders, he urged Nigerians to be patient, adding that with time it would mature. He launched the books with N1million.

    Chairman of the occasion, Sir Tope Tokoya, a former governorship candidate, also congratulated the author for rolling four books at a go. He donated an undisclosed amount.

    NOA Director, Lagos State, Dr. Mustapha Tukur, who described the author as his former boss, warned against electoral apathy as exhibited in the last local government election in Lagos. He said this was not good for the growth of democracy, especially as council is the closest government to people, he urged Nigerians to register and vote during elections to enjoy the dividends of democracy.

    Also, he said continued apathy would thwart national growth and development.

    He decried misinformation and disinformation as they lead to fake news. He urged the public to tackle the menace with enlightenment. ‘’Ät NOA, we communicate good information and inculcate the right values in people,’’ he informed.

    Tukur agreed with the author who condemned godfatherism, saying it robs us of good leaders and the commodification of politics.

    The books’ reviewers, Prof Idowu Adegbite of the Faculty of Law, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State; Prof Adeleke Oduwaye of the Urban and Regional Planning Department, University of Lagos, Dr Tukur, and Director, Corporate Affairs, Supreme Mandate Publisher Publishers, Mr. M. A. Jinadu, gave the author a pat for publishing excellent books. Specifically, Adegbite and Oduwaye commended the author for his simple language, excellent writing style and being on top of his game.

  • Southwest governors demand restructuring, state police, resource control in constitution review

    Southwest governors demand restructuring, state police, resource control in constitution review

    Governors Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Abiodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), and Ademola Adeleke (Osun) have jointly called for the restructuring of Nigeria, true federalism, the creation of state police, and resource control as part of the ongoing constitutional review process.

    The governors made their demands during the South-West Centre B Public Hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review, held on Friday at the International Centre for Culture and Events (The Dome) in Akure, Ondo State.

    They also advocated a new revenue-sharing formula, as well as the constitutional recognition of Local Council Development Authorities (LCDAs) to enhance grassroots governance.

    In his remarks, Governor Aiyedatiwa praised President Bola Tinubu for supporting democratic reforms and commended the House Committee, led by Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, for bringing the constitution amendment process closer to the people.

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    Highlighting the challenges of insecurity, Aiyedatiwa argued that Nigeria’s centralized policing system is no longer effective, stressing the need for state police to enhance security and community intelligence.

    He referenced the operational success of the South-West security outfit, Amotekun, as evidence that localized policing can work in Nigeria, especially in intelligence gathering and crime deterrence.

    The governor called for a review of the revenue allocation formula, suggesting that states should receive not less than 50% of revenue from the federation.

    “Ondo State aligns with the progressive aspirations of the South-West Geo-political Zone in advocating for true federalism that reflects socio-political, cultural and economic realities of the federating units.  

    “This would be in tandem with true fiscal federalism where states have full control over their resources and revenues while remitting about 40% of their revenues to the Federal Government. 

    “Still on fiscal federalism, it will serve the cause of fairness and justice to have a review of the current revenue allocation formula which is skewed in favour of the federal government. Ondo State is of the opinion that not less than 50% of revenue from the federation should be allocated to the states,” Aiyedatiwa said. 

    He proposed that Section 44 (3) of the constitution be amended to remove control over minerals, mineral oils, and natural gas from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List.

    This, according to the Ondo governor, would enable state governments to harness their mineral wealth for local development.

    “It is an understatement that state governments and the people experience a lot of agonies from the activities of miners, including illegal miners, quarries, and others that engage in mineral exploration activities. This is because state governments have little or no control over this sector.

    “It hinders State Governments, especially oil-rich States from harnessing their mineral wealth for local development, while illegal mining continues to flourish due to weak Federal Government oversight and poor local enforcement mechanisms.”

    Aiyedatiwa further said the state is not opposed to the creation of new states as requested in some of the proposed bills, but strongly oppose excising any part of its territory to merge with any new state or join an existing one.

    He appealed to the committee on the constitution review to recommend the inclusion of the Local Council Development Authorities (LCDAs) in the proposed constitution.

    “It is also of interest to the government and people of Ondo state that additional local governments be created in the state, just as Lagos State Local Development Council Areas (LCDAs) are being proposed for inclusion in the Constitution as fully-fledged Local Government Areas. 

    “In Ondo state, we have functional thirty-three (33) LCDAs duly created by the State Government. We strongly advocate that the proposed bill be expanded and these 33 LCDAs in Ondo State be recognised as fully-fledged local governments in the First Schedule of the Constitution,” he noted.

    Governor Oyebanji also proposed that Section 44 (3) of the Constitution be amended to remove control over minerals, mineral oils, and natural gas from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List.

    The Ekiti governor, represented by the Attorney General of the state, Dayo Apata (SAN), however, called for equal political representation for women and persons with disabilities, formal recognition of traditional rulers, and restrictions on the indiscriminate movement of herders and livestock across the country.

    His Osun State counterpart, Governor Adeleke, highlighted the need for electoral reform, particularly the need to reduce the cost of conducting elections in Nigeria and advocates for electronic voting.

    Governor Adeleke, represented by his deputy, Kolawole Adeusi, who presented the position paper, called for the reduction of the high cost of governance and political campaigns, warning that unregulated campaign expenses could lead to desperation and electoral malpractice.

    “The cost of governance is too high. Make it less attractive so that it doesn’t become a matter of life and death,” he said. 

    The Olowo of Owo and Chairman, Ondo State Council of Obas, Oba Gbadegesin Ogunoye III, who represented the traditional institutions, advocated for the constitutional recognition of monarchs and their inclusion in policymaking processes, noting that they remain the closest authorities to the grassroots.

    Earlier, Hon.James Faleke Chairman of Southwest Centre B (Ondo, Osun, Ekiti) of the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review said the next step will be in alignment with the wishes of the people of Nigeria. 

    He stressed that all the position papers will be meticulously scrutinize for the ultimate betterment of the country.

    Also, representatives of labour unions, professional bodies, religious groups, civil society organisations, traditional institutions, and women groups from Ondo, Ekiti, and Osun States presented proposals aimed at correcting longstanding imbalances and deepening democratic practice.

  • State police: An idea whose time has come

    State police: An idea whose time has come

    • By Sunday Olagunju

    Sir: Critics have espoused the presumably overbearing and inordinate ambitions of state governors to use state police as an instrument of oppression and suppression of perceived enemies and foes of their administration.

    Now assailed by the quagmire of banditry and rising malcontents, virtually all the governors are now praying and clamouring for the urgent establishment of state police as the only foreseeable solution to the hydra-headed insecurity problems in most of the states.

    Protagonists of state police complained of the overarching workload of the present force which numerical ratio of one police to a given population falls ridiculously below the requirement of the United Nations. With overstressed personnel, coupled with poor and antiquated weaponry, oftentimes, the police are at the mercy of fowlers and malcontents, who breach securities and security of lives and people’s wellbeing and welfare with impunity.

    The idea of state police comprising an overwhelmingly high percentage of the indigenes of a state means that they know the nooks and crannies of the state and can easily identify people who are security risk and deal with them accordingly.

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    The National Assembly can set a state police committee of the House with a view of sending members to study countries operating the two tiers of federal and state police in the world, with a view to identifying their modus operandi and possibly copy some aspects of their operations and administration.

    Definitely, there are some states in the country, especially in the North that needs state police to complement whatever security architectures they have in place to deal with the rising cases of banditry and loss of peace occasioning rising malcontents.

    For upwards of over three decades, the debate on state police has been on the front burner, and now with worsening security situation in virtually all parts of the country, the time seems ripe enough to take a stand on the issue of state police, to be or not to be.

    With the failure of many prescriptions for solving rising insecurity in the country, wisdom demands that the issue of state police be given a trial just as it happened to other prescribed solutions.

    Nigeria is big enough territorially and in terms of population to accommodate both federal and state police, constitutionally working in cahoots for the security and well-being of the nation.

    Today, rising insecurity tides have obfuscated the old time criticisms of possibility of political misuse of police powers at state level, paucity of funds by most states to maintain and equip a standard state control force, potential fragmentation of national security and absence of regulatory architecture to ensure standard and operational cohesion of state police force.

    State police is an idea whose time has come.

    •Sunday Olagunju,

    Ibadan, Oyo State.

  • State police

    State police

    • We have many examples to learn from

    Ever since his assumption of office during the tenure of President Bola Tinubu, the Inspector-General of Police, (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has not hidden his opposition to what has come to be the insistent clamour for the decentralisation of the country’s policing architecture through the creation of state police. Many Nigerians believe this would enhance the capacity of both the federal and state governments to safeguard the security of lives and property in Nigeria.

    Security of lives and property is a cardinal responsibility of government.

    Surprisingly, despite the glaring lack of capacity of the existing unitary policing structure to effectively maintain internal security in a complex, large, federal polity Nigeria, the IGP has been a lone voice calling for a retention of the dysfunctional system, which may also be reflective of the sentiments of the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) as a whole.

    Speaking at a one-day constitutional review legislative dialogue on the country’s national security architecture, Egbetokun contended that rather than create state police, the NPF should be strengthened and properly funded to discharge its constitutional responsibility. He anchored his argument on Section 214(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which provides for the existence of a centralised police force and reiterates that “subject to the provisions of this section, no other police force shall be established for the Federation or any part thereof”.

    But this kind of reasoning assumes that the law establishing the NPF is cast in granite and cannot be amended even when this has become a glaring necessity as the case is today.

    Egbetokun expressed the fear that state governors could abuse their control of state police. He suggested instead that 30,000 officers be recruited into the NPF annually and that  the organisation’s budget should be increased, especially as state governments lacked the funds or infrastructure to run state police system.

    Indeed, he made a case for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to be merged as directorates within the NPF.

    These rationalisations for opposition to the creation of state police are unconvincing. They create the impression that Mr Egbetokun and the leadership of the NPF are more interested in maintaining and expanding what they see as their exclusive power base, than the creation of a policing system that can drastically reduce the current high rate of loss of lives and property due to the inefficiency of the current policing structure.

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    The fear of abuse of state police by governors can be addressed by careful drafting of the law setting up policing structures at the state level, to provide for effective checks and balances.

    In any case, the argument can also be made that federal authorities can also abuse control of the centralised police to harass and intimidate opponents. There are so many examples of federal polities with multi-level policing systems that prevent abuse of power and protect human rights that Nigeria can learn from.

    Even now, state police commands of the NPF in virtually all states in the country rely substantially on funding by the states, as the Federal Government is clearly unable to bear the responsibility of funding the NPF alone. Furthermore, the point has been made that state police outfits, with officers and men recruited from local communities, will be more familiar with the peculiarities of their environment and thus be more efficient in discharging their responsibilities.

    Again, the country is paying a costly price for the current inefficiency of a centralised police structure. This is because men of the armed forces who have the responsibility of protecting the country’s territorial integrity are deployed to maintain internal security across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with negative consequences for their ability to defend the polity from external aggression at a time of considerable national vulnerability.

    The IGP seems to believe that the creation of state police is meant to dislodge or weaken the NPF. Rather, it can only make the latter more effective and efficient in its sphere of responsibility.

    Luckily, there is unanimity of opinion on the part of President Tinubu, the 36 governors and other critical stakeholders on the imperative of state police. The IGP cannot continue to be the sole dissenting voice.

  • State police: What are we waiting for?

    State police: What are we waiting for?

    In Nigeria today, bandits, terrorists and other criminals who are known by different names have made each day imperfect for Nigerians. We have lost count of the number of people killed or kidnapped in various parts of Nigeria daily. Now the major scene of killings and kidnappings is Plateau and Benue states, while a few other states also record minor and not so minor incidents of killing and kidnapping.

    That is why many people are surprised, in fact shocked, that the decision makers are postponing taking a firm decision on state police. Governors of the southern and northern states have agreed that the creation of state police is the answer to the present insecurity problem. Traditional rulers, civil society organisations, the media and serious-minded Nigerians have also come to the inescapable conclusion that state police, if implemented, is the formula for tackling this present level of high insecurity in the country.

    There are several reasons why the efforts of our security personnel have not yielded the desired results of effectively combating insecurity in the country. One, there are not enough police and military personnel to cope with the problem in such a vast country as Nigeria. It is estimated that out of the 450, 000 policemen in Nigeria today, at least 150, 000 of them are attached to very important personalities and not so important personalities who have the cash to get such personnel assigned to them, whether they merit such favours or not. That is why it is easy to find policemen being used as houseboys who carry handbags, agbadas, wigs, wallets, gele, and bottled water for their ogas as if these ogas have no hands with which to carry their personal items. This is disgraceful, something that you don’t see in other countries. But this is Nigeria where anything, almost anything, goes.

    Two, most of our security agencies – policemen and armed forces personnel – operate largely in urban and semi-urban areas. The terrorists and bandits are smart. That is why they now target rural areas where our security personnel are absent. They just move in there in okada, kill and abduct as many people as possible and vanish into the forests and bushes and leave us gnashing our teeth and throwing the country into the abyss of grief every day.

    Three, the telecommunication companies still sell their sim cards to all kinds of persons without recording their correct identities. In an age of technology such as this, it should have been easy, very easy, to locate who the terrorists are and where they are operating from if their phones were properly registered.

    Four, it seems that our security personnel are using poor and outdated technology. With superior technology, it would be easy to trace and arrest or destroy these criminals. In China, almost every problem is solved with modern technology. Why don’t we go to China and ask them to fashion out appropriate technology for dealing with our insecurity problem. Mr President, what stops you from visiting China, specifically for the purpose of getting help on our security problems? China has appropriate technology for solving problems in developing countries.

    Five, the government has made this fight against insecurity a government-only fight. That ought not to be the case. The people ought to be involved in it. These terrorists live near people. If they live in the forests, people know where these forests are located. Is there a three-digit number that people can call to give information? If there is, is that well known to Nigerians in our towns and villages? I have no idea. The fight against these criminals ought to be a major campaign in which all the media platforms ought to be used in all the states, local government areas and villages. This campaign can only be successful when there is a massive sensitisation of the public. The fight doesn’t belong to the government alone. It belongs to the people as well.

    Six, this is a fight in which it will be useful to utilise the services of whistleblowers. If there is some kind of compensation given for accurate and timely information that can lead to the foiling of a planned kidnap attempt or the location of the den of the criminals, the fight will yield good results. So, I see no harm in rewarding people who supply vital, accurate and timely information that helps the country in this fight.

    Seven, in most of the cases of kidnapping, the victims are taken into forests where the criminals keep their arms, food and their ransom. If our forests have now become a source of unhappiness for Nigeria, why are we keeping them? Environmentalists may lecture us on the merits of keeping our forests, but the forests are not more important than human lives. If there are known forests where these terrorists use as their sanctuary, we should reduce those forests to bare land where no criminals can hide without being seen. That is better than our continuing to yelp like puppies every day as our loved ones are taken away and killed.

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    Eight, I do not see the wisdom in pampering terrorists who have kidnapped or killed people. The idea of treating them with kid gloves is revolting to me. We rehabilitate and send them to live with their victims. What kind of society are we trying to build? We pamper terrorists while we send people who steal goats or yams to prison. Double standards cannot help us. Criminals must be punished, not pampered.

    Let me repeat for the umpteenth time, that state police is the answer to this nagging problem because of its obvious merits. State police will increase the number of policemen available for duty. That increase in number means that they can be assigned to duty in rural areas where the criminals have made their soft targets. State policemen will come from the states, will speak the local language and will know the lay of the land. They will be able to gather information easily and that easy means of gathering information will improve their work tremendously. They will be authorised to carry sophisticated weapons, the type carried by terrorists. Even though the Buhari government approved the establishment of Amotekun in the South West and Ebubeagu in the South East as regional security outfits, none of them is as effective as expected because they are not allowed to carry sophisticated arms. So, their creation has turned out to be an act of futility. Now they only arrest those they can arrest and hand them over to the police for appropriate action while the criminals continue to fire on all cylinders.

    In my view, it is the state police that will fill the gaping gap, it is they who can do the heavy lifting. Why the decision makers are pussy- footing on this matter is unclear to me, while scores of people are being killed or kidnapped daily in various parts of the country.

    We need state police now, not next year.

  • Northern govs, monarchs to NASS: Hasten take-off of state police

    Northern govs, monarchs to NASS: Hasten take-off of state police

    The agitation for state police yesterday got the full backing of Northern State governors and traditional rulers with both sides urging the National Assembly to expedite action on the legal framework for its creation.

    They were of the view that the move would go a long way in addressing the current security challenge in the country.

    The governors and traditional rulers met in Kaduna against the background of the recent resurgence of acts of terrorism in that part of the country.

    They said it was imperative for the federal government to urgently review the current strategy on fighting terrorism.

    In a communiqué issued at the end of yesterday’s meeting, the governors acknowledged “the critical role of non-partisan cooperation, collaboration and peer review in effectively addressing the numerous developmental challenges confronting the northern region and the nation at large.”

    It also hailed President Bola Tinubu for “his sustained commitment to addressing the security challenges and infrastructural deficits in Northern Nigeria.”

    Gombe State Governor and Chairman of the Forum, Inuwa Yahaya, who read the communiqué, said he and his colleagues would liaise with the larger Nigerian Governors Forum to work out modalities on how to increase support for the Federal Security Forces.

    Besides, they resolved to “set up inter-state platforms to coordinate surveillance on our joint borders” and to strengthen peculiar local initiatives in combating all forms of security challenges.

    In a speech at the opening of the meeting, Yahaya expressed outrage at the setback recorded in the fight against terrorism especially the recent violence and killings in Plateau, Benue, Bauchi, Borno, Benue and Yobe states.

    “The mindless acts of violence against innocent citizens remind us of the urgent need to redouble our security efforts and ensure that adequate security measures are vigorously implemented for the safety of our people,” he said.

    He commended President Tinubu “for his sustained commitment to Nigeria’s security” but stressed that “we must acknowledge the recent setbacks in our efforts to combat insecurity and other social vices.”

    He said the lesson drawn from the collective efforts and consultation by a broad spectrum of Nigerians on the tax reform bills could help in evolving a mutually beneficial resolution of the security matter.

    He said:”This demonstrates the power of constructive engagement, and I commend Mr. President for his listening ear and commitment to inclusive governance.

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    “We recommend that, going forward, such collaborative approach should guide all matters of inter-governmental relations in the interest of the people.”

    He also commended the President for his commitment to the completion of the ongoing Kaduna-Kano-Katsina-Maradi rail line, the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Expressway and the AKK gas pipeline among many others, other projects like the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail line, Kano-Maiduguri Expressway and Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Biu Expressway which were awarded in the past.

    He said that with the approach of the rainy season, government must implement proactive measures to mitigate the perennial farmer-herder clashes and address climate-related challenges like floods and draughts.

    Earlier, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, in his address of welcome, lauded the efforts of the NSGF and the traditional rulers’ council in promoting unity and consensus in the North.

    He said: “In spite of our diversity, the two bodies have found a way of forging consensus on critical issues.

    “We have made progress, but challenges remain. We must hasten the development and implementation of a regional roadmap for peace, security, and development.”

    Sani commended President Tinubu for his commitment to North’s development, particularly for reviving the long-abandoned Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria-Kano dual carriageway, describing it as a “lifeline for Northern Nigeria.”

    Sultan: Tinubu has done well on security, but more needs to be done

    Also speaking at the meeting, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, reaffirmed the commitment of the traditional rulers to efforts aimed at tackling insecurity across the country.

    The Sultan, who doubles as Chairman of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, said the persistent killings across various parts of the North have made it imperative for leaders to unite and take decisive action.

     “Every life matters,” he said, and called for a holistic approach to restore peace and enable citizens to live freely and in harmony.

    He condemned the criminalisation of ethnic or religious groups, warning that such narratives only fuel division.

     “We must leave here with the understanding that a criminal anywhere is a threat to all of us,” he said.

    The traditional ruler, who also acknowledged the efforts already made to address the crisis, emphasised that more needed to be done.

    Abubakar declared: “Much has been done, but clearly not enough.

    “As long as people continue to be killed, the perception will remain that nothing is being done.”

    He said the challenges facing the North were national in nature, and praised Tinubu’s commitment to finding lasting solutions.

    He, however, urged intensified action to end the bloodshed and to reassure the citizens that their safety remains a top priority.

    Present at the joint meeting were the governors of Nasarawa, Gombe, Niger, Kaduna, Kebbi, Katsina, Kogi, Yobe, Plateau, Taraba, Adamawa, Sokoto, and Jigawa states.

    Also in attendance were 19 top traditional rulers from across the Northern region under the umbrella of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council.

    Yesterday’s meeting was preceded on Friday night by that of the Governors of the seven North West states of Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara on insecurity, unemployment and drug  abuse.

    Katsina State Governor and Chairman of the Northwest Governors’ Forum Umar Dikko Radda said they agreed to work together to tackle the issues.

    He described their deliberation as fruitful.

     “We had a long discussion on challenges affecting our region and we have had presentations from the Northwest Development Commission, as well as the Federal Medical University Funtua for the region,” he said.

     “We have all agreed to work together on these issues raised in order to bring the necessary development that is needed in the region.”

    Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani said they were working together to tackle issues affecting the region, and we are in close collaboration with development partners in order to find lasting solutions to the issues affecting the zone.

  • Rising insecurity and imperative of state police

    Rising insecurity and imperative of state police

    The resurgence of insecurity across the state of Nigeria, From Kebbi to Zamfara, to Katsina, to Niger and the recent unfortunate developments in Borno are very worrisome. Furthermore, insecurity has resurged in Plateau, and it is escalating in Benue. We are also witnessing pockets of insecurity in some parts of southern Nigeria. The unfolding scenarios have yet again brought the need for State Police to the front burner. For some of us who are proponents of state policing, I am again adding my voice to the need for this very important structural provision to be expedited and activated, as initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This very crucial requirement to bring about internal security in Nigeria should be fast-tracked as a matter of national priority. Undeniably, the number of boots on the ground of our armed forces across the strata and the services cannot, I repeat, cannot actually take up this insecurity effectively and efficiently, talkless of sustainability. As we all know, sustainability is key. The timeline that is required deal with legislation, activation of the policy and enhancement of national and state strategies, the hiring processes, indoctrination, tooling and kitting, salary and compensation package, welfare and assimilation of forces into the battlefield to make impacts are the reasons why State Police should be treated as a matter of a national emergency. States must immediately start strategic planning by recognizing that when and if the legislations are passed, they will be able to take necessary actions in their respective states and then hit the ground running to do all that is necessary to have internal security in their respective states as soon as possible. Meanwhile, I sense and note the concerns of Governors as they face the daunting task of providing security and safety for the people in their States, which is their core constitutional mandate.

     As it is today, the governors of the states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria are only chief security officers of their states on paper. There is little or nothing they can do without federal intervention. The governors are at the mercy of the availability of resources to be deployed to the States by the President of Nigeria. Indeed, where a President has other priorities, then there is another issue to be dealt with. The political considerations, which are also of concern to most well-meaning Nigerians, that governors will abuse State Police, have taken a back seat considering the importance and the criticality of enabling all the state governors to have the powers to protect their states against threats and dangers, including natural disasters. Therefore, I am reiterating the support of this laudable move for constitutional review to activate state policing. We can ensure that the issues of funding and the issues of the framework that would de-risk this very important requirement, insulate it from abuse, and also ensure that it is done in ways and manners that will actually serve the purposes for which it will be promulgated.

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     The issue of funding for Security, whereby some states are struggling to pay salaries, is a matter of fact. However, the recent disclosure by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Mr. Daniel Bwala, that some state governor ares not effectively utilizing their huge security votes to tackle insecurity, has also thrown on the front burner a very a credible and worrisome scenario whereby, if governors are being stingy with the security votes by pinching money to security forces to deliver such crucial mandates at such a crucial time then we will have even bigger issues even with the State Policing in place, because indeed adequate funding is a critical success factor for effective and efficient defense and security. That is why we are advocating as a matter of priority to offload state policing on the laps of governors as a strategic way of pulling out the security vote monies out of the pockets of governors who are not ready to deploy the huge amounts of money allocated to security votes for the purpose that the money should serve, by hiding under the guise that it is Mr. President or the Federal Government that should provide security across Nigeria. Because with the State Police in place, the governors must utilize allocated funds to fund state policing. State policing cannot just be a mantra. When promulgated, it will not be the responsibility of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to make provision in the budget to support state policing. Accordingly, that will also put governors on their toes. And by that, Mr. President and Nigerians will also have the full right to challenge governors to do the needful.

     Indeed, if State Police is activated, the numbers of boots on the ground in the states that will providing those interventions will complement the boots on the ground at the federal level and allow the Nigerian Armed Forces, to refocus on their core mandates of providing territorial integrity, defending Nigerians and providing internal security Nigeria (in the case of the Nigerian Police Force). Of course, this change will be done in phases, such that the Nigerian armed forces will not immediately pull out of the states. The change-over will be part of the political of the overarching strategy of state policing that the governors I mean the armed forces will continue providing those support and intervention for a period of time after which they are weaned off the states and then there will be a layer as at whenever the federal interventions will be needed. But as the case is today, we are already in the second quarter of 2025, and the insecurity is escalating, negating all the laudable achievements of the administration, as it has done in previous administrations.

     If we don’t take the issue of State Police seriously and fast-track the process of legislation and have an executive process that will surely ensure expedient activation of this very crucial requirement to fight insecurity, Nigeria will be doomed. While we are at it, may I use this opportunity to again call on the federal government to significantly increase the number of armed forces boots on the ground. I know there has been an increase in the recruitment process of the Nigerian armed forces and the Nigerian police, but we need more troops in terms of the numbers and frequency of recruitment, training, kitting, indoctrination, salary and compensation package, welfare, and support after service. This is one of the most important imperatives required to beat the curve of the insurgents and to fight this highly fluid, volatile, guerrilla warfare with the insurgents and the terrorists.

     The Nigerian Armed Forces are performing exceptionally well given the resources available to them and the circumstances they find themselves in. However, it is an asymmetrical war that is almost becoming symmetrical. Because the terrorists are gaining ground. They are reviewing their strategy. They are getting more resources and logistical support for their onslaught in comparison to the Nigerian armed forces. This should be a food for thought for any well-meaning Nigerian. Indeed, the issue of homeland and national security is the core responsibility of governments at the federal and state levels. But it is also the responsibility of all Nigerians to support national security, because, together we stand on this and divided we will fall. This matter is beyond political affiliations, religious divisions, or ethnic sentiments. Therefore, I urge all of us to look at it from a unified lens and break the barriers of politics, ethnicity, and parochial sentiments to deal with this cankerworm. Definitely, terrorism does not recognize ethnicity, religion, tribal, or political sentiments. We are all victims of the situation. We are all faced with this multidimensional challenge, and I urge all stakeholders to move with the speed of light to dispense with this issue.

     When State Policing is promulgated, Nigerians will hold the governors to account to deliver their mandate. But I dare say again, the legislation should provide buffers and provisos to ensure that state governors who want to become emperors do not misuse the opportunity, and plunge their States and Nigeria at large.

     May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

  • NEC defers discussion on state police

    NEC defers discussion on state police

    • Governors okay tech-driven security approach

    Proponents of State Police as solution to upsurge in insecurity were disappointed yesterday by the National Economic Council (NEC).

    The foremost economic advisory council chaired by the Vice President with governors as members, listed the issue but did not discuss it.

    “State police was part of our agenda today (yesterday), but unfortunately, because of time demands… the presentations took a long time. We were unable to get to that bit of it.” Bayelsa State Governor Duoye Diri told reporters after the meeting.

    But he added: “I can assure you that in our next meeting, that issue will be exhaustively discussed.”

    The NEC last year requested governors to indicate whether or not they subscribed to state police.

    At NEC December meeting it was announced that all 36 governors and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister have agreed to the idea.

    The issue was not listed for discussion the NEC’s first meeting of the year in February.

    It was also not discussed yesterday.

    Yesterday’s meeting was attended by Rivers State sole administrator Ibok Ekwe Ibas.

    Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, who was cynosure of all eyes having defected along with all Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structure to the All Progressives Congress (APC), was called upon by the Vice President to say the opening prayer.

    Diri briefed reporters along with Governors Hope Uzodimma(Imo), Biodun Oyebanji(Ekiti) and  Abdullahi Sule  (Nasarawa). Agriculture and Food Security Minister  Abubakar Kyari was with them.

     Diri said the council also  emphasised  the importance of modern solutions to the longstanding farmer-herder conflicts.

     “What the Agriculture and Food Security ministry equally presented today(yesterday) shows that the sector is being modernised. More importantly, emphasis is being placed on cattle ranching and peace-building.

    ‘’We believe that the ministry’s presentation on cattle ranching is a modern solution to these issues,” Diri said.

    NGF panel to partner security agencies

     Governors,  who constitute the biggest bloc in NEC,  on Wednesday night received a briefing from Chief of Defence Staff  Gen. Christopher Musa on efforts being taken by the military to stem the rising cases of attacks and killings by gunmen.

     Apart from agreeing on an innovative security initiative to check the trend, the governors set up a subcommittee to collaborate with heads of security agencies.  

      Uzodimma read a communiqué by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) Chairman Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.

    The communiqué partly reads: “The forum received a presentation from the Chief of Defence Staff on an innovative security initiative aimed at strengthening national and subnational capacity for early threat detection and coordinated response.

    “The project envisions the phased deployment of advanced technology and infrastructure to improve surveillance, crisis management and public safety.

    “Governors expressed support for the initiative’s objectives and underscored the importance of technology-driven solutions in addressing evolving security challenges at the state level.

    ”Governors also commended the CDS and indeed the Nigerian military for these valuable propositions and initiatives.”

    Kaduna State  Governor Uba Sani expressed optimism that the rising number of killings would spur efforts at actualising state police concept.

    Sani suggested the combination of force with non-kinetic approach in the efforts to address the trend.

    He disagreed with the insinuation that the resurgence of killings was a reflection of the failure on the part of the governors.

    Read Also: Insecurity: NEC defers state police talks

      “For me, the creation of state police will go a long way in addressing the issue of insecurity, particularly at the sub-national level.  We have to look at other aspects, particularly looking at a non-kinetic approach,” he said.

    Sule  agrees with Alia on foreign attackers

    Sule painted  a sobering picture of life in rural communities terrorised by ‘’assailants’’ who he said, arrive in  convoys of motorbikes, ‘’wielding  AK-47   and even bazookas.’’

    He described the attacks  as ‘’a regional crisis’’ that  ‘’we must put in efforts   together  to combat.’’

    Sule agreed with his  Benue State counterpart, Hycinth Alia, that the attackers are foreigners who enter  Nigeria through porous northern borders. 

     “They look Fulani, but they don’t speak Hausa. They arrive with cattle and speak a distinct form of Fulfulde, not Hausa. They are not native herders. That tells you something. Security agencies have video evidence and language clues to help determine where they’re coming from,’’ the governor said.

    Sule added that their activities had left many communities in the state in trauma

    “It’s a challenging period any time you have a situation where people are killed, and you visit the area, you see the trauma,” he lamented. 

    The governor stressed the importance of coordinated regional action, highlighting Nasarawa’s ongoing joint operations with Plateau and Taraba states, especially in flashpoint areas like Bokos and Wamba.

    “The problem we have in that particular place is completely different from the problem we had in Bassa,” he explained. 

    Troops  kill one, arrest  two  attackers

     In Plateau State, troops foiled an attack on Teegbe,  a village in Bassa Local Government Area (LGA).

    One of the gunmen was killed and two others arrested by   Operation Safe  Haven  (OPSH) members on Wednesday. Media Information Officer of OPSH, Major Samson Zhakom, made this known in a statement yesterday.    

    Tinubu determined to  end  insecurity,   Information Minister reassures

    Information and National Orientation Minister  Mohammed Idris said in Abuja yesterday that  President Ahmed Bola Tinubu understands the importance of security in national development.

    Idris said that this explains the huge investment the Tinubu administration has made in the area of security.

    He spoke during his inaugural address as Chairman of the Board of the Niger State Development Forum (NSDF), an advisory, non-partisan body dedicated to advancing development in Niger State.

    He said: “Let me take this opportunity to underscore the critical nexus between development, peace, security and infrastructure.

    ‘’These elements are not just interconnected – they are mutually reinforcing. No meaningful development can take place in the absence of peace and security, and conversely, the dividends of development often catalyse peace and stability.

    ‘’This is a reality well understood by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose administration is investing heavily in these key sectors as part of a holistic strategy to transform our nation.

    “Mr. President has made it clear that security is not optional; it is the bedrock upon which all other aspects of national progress must rest.’’ 

    Nigeria adopts technology to secure the Sahel region

    Nigeria has adopted the Counter Terrorism Technology (CT-TECH+) initiative to enhance its capacity to secure the country and the Sahel region.

    Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka made this known at the kick-off of the CT TECH+ initiative, organised in collaboration with the UN Office for Counter Terrorism (UNOCT)   in Abuja.

  • On fresh calls for state police

    On fresh calls for state police

    • By Okechukwu Ukegbu

    Sir: Recent upsurge in killings in Plateau and Benue states have again brought the age-long clamour for a state policing arrangement to the front burner. This is Nigeria; we always forget about the crucial pains associated with the wound as soon as the wound heals. This mind-set has been our anathema, and has exposed us to our usual fire-brigade approaches in tackling critical issues, especially security.

    According to Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, the senate is working on putting a framework to the idea. Also, the agenda is expected to assume a prominent space in the National Economic Council (NEC).

    It should be recalled that during the last December meeting of the NEC, it was announced that all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had indicated readiness to embrace state police. Unfortunately and against the expectations of Nigerians, NEC’s February meeting – the only one so far this year – did not discuss state police – at least not on the communiqué released to the media. That is to show the level of our inconsistency and policy somersault.

    But does a state police arrangement possess the magic wand to address the security challenges? No! The factors militating against the present police structure are handy to militate against the state police arrangement, or even make it still-birth.

    Several efforts have been deployed to ensure that effective policing is instituted in Nigeria. Part of the problems of policing in the country is that the rural centres are not adequately policed and this has led to such initiative as community policing, or what in another parlance is the neighbourhood watch.

    Read Also: Wike hails Okowa, Delta Governor over defection to APC

    Policing in Nigeria has been militated against by several factors such inadequate manpower, funding, logistics problems and provision of ammunitions to help fight crime.

    Notably, the police-civilian ratio is nothing to write home about and grossly falls short of the United Nations standard. Ironically, the police, by deploying part of its limited manpower to secure Very Important Personalities (VIPs) in the society, at the end of which many become errand elements in the hand of these personalities, mostly politicians, actually end up undermining the institution.

    Indeed, inefficient policing has led to the design of several approaches to mitigate it or proffer solutions that have been elusive. We have seen several police reform efforts to address issues of training and retraining, inadequate manpower, faulty recruitment process, poor and inhuman welfare – all of which have constituted the albatross of the Nigeria Police Force. Yet, the reforms have ended up as mere paper presentations without adequate or implementable frameworks. Even the latest Police Trust Fund Act that was enacted to improve the welfare of the police and the Police Establishment Act 2020 which is seemingly an improved version of the previous legislations may end up not being implementable.

    Who says that the state police arrangement may not suffer the fate of the present police structure? Where is the guarantee of adequate funding? Who can ensure a transparent and standard recruitment process? Who can be certain that the state police structure will not be a willing tool in the hands of state governors to intimidate and harass real and perceived political opponents as witnessed in the present?

    Until these fears are allayed and the militating factors adequately addressed, the state police option will always remain a mirage and will only be realised in our imagination.

    •Okechukwu Ukegbu,

    <keshiafrica@gmail.com>

  • Plateau lawyers seek state police

    Plateau lawyers seek state police

    Nigeria Bar Association Branches of Snendam, Bukuru, Pankshin and Jos have called for armed state police as a panacea to the killings in Plateau State.

    They described the recent killings in some communities as an assault on humanity, rule of law, and right to life.

    The lawyers, who spoke to reporters in Jos, said they were saddened by the attacks in Bokkos and Bassa local government areas of Plateau, which claimed innocent lives and left others displaced, traumatised and grieving.

    Read Also: Tinubu issues fresh security directives, says ‘enough is enough’ – Ribadu

    “It is utterly heart-wrenching that while Plateau State is yet to recover from the horror and pain of previous attacks, our peace is once again shattered by another wave of senseless and barbaric killings,’’ they said.

    It would be recalled that the NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, had in a statement called on the government to rise up to its responsibility of protecting lives.

    The NBA branches said they aligned with their president’s position, calling on security agents to deliver.

    “The continued bloodletting in Plateau State, under the guise of communal crises must no longer be treated with indifference or vague promises. Enough is enough,” they added.