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Tag: State Police

  • Insecurity: State Police A Better Option – Obasanjo

    Insecurity: State Police A Better Option – Obasanjo

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has disclosed that amid growing insecurity in the country, the creation of state police would be a better option than community policing.

    Obasanjo made this disclosure when the leadership of the National Association of Ex-local government chairmen in Nigeria paid him a courtesy visit in Abeokuta on Wednesday.

    A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi hinted the visit was led by the pioneer National chairman, Hon. Albert Asipa, the Ogun State chapter Chairman, Rt. Hon. Shoyemi Coker, Hon. Chinwe Monu-Olarewaju (Delta State) (Chairman BOT) and the traditional ruler of Odogbolu, His Royal Highness, Oba (Dr) Toye Mojeed Alatise, Gbegande of Ososa, a former chairman of Ijebu Ode local government area of Ogun State among others.

    Obasanjo, who commended the initiative behind the formation of the body, said that the development clearly showed that some local chairmen in the country were better than even the top elected leaders.

    The former President while responding to one of the speakers, Chinwe Monu-Olarewaju’s submission on creation of community police to curb the wave of insecurity quipped that the idea needed to be changed.

    “Our situation in Nigeria concerns everyone, particularly, the case of terrorism. The case has gotten over the issue of community police. It is now State police. It is from that State Police that we can now be talking about community police,” he said.

    He also spoke on the need to strengthen the traditional system and the local government administration, “which I prepared during the popular Murtala/Obasanjo administration, because I believe that there is need to enable that tier of government to work truly as a local governmen. They have their own Executive, Judiciary and Legislature.

    “They were working and they were very visible, building and managing roads, looking into education, health, local administration, agriculture, but they were all gone,” Obasanjo said.

    He said that the experience the former chairmen had in local government administration was enough to aspire for higher posts, stressing that some of them have the competence, ability and integrity to get to these posts.

    Obasanjo, who was presented with a letter of a life patron, assured that he would look into their request, assuring further that he would be available on request for their needs at all times.

    Ashipa had earlier told the former President why they decided to come together in all the 774 local governments in the country, declaring, “we can also contribute to the economy and political developments of the country.

    “And realising your position as father of local government in Nigeria, we need you to actualize our goals, hence this all important visit. And to come and say happy 85th birthday celebrations. ”

    Others present were Hon. Abayomi Tella (National Organising Secretary), Hon. Garba Fatai Adeniyi (National Auditor), Hon. Ayantoye Adekunle ( State Chairman, Osun State), Hon Tajudeen Oke (State Chairman, Oyo State), Hon. Akinwunmi Sowore (State Chairman, Ondo State), Hon Ogidi Akindele (State Chairman, Ekiti State) and Hon Nicholas Akinbiola ( Ondo State).

    They also include, Hon. Adeniyi Fasanmi ( National Asst Fin Secretary), Hon Isikilu Makinde (Ogun State), Hon Gafar Balogun (Ogun State), Hon. Yayaya Olodeoku (Chairman, OGBC) and Hon. Tajudeen Salako (State Secretary, Ogun State).

  • State Police Is Not An Option, Says Buhari

    State Police Is Not An Option, Says Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari believes state police is not an option for the nation.

    The President made the remark in an exclusive interview with Channels Television which is scheduled to air on Wednesday at 7 pm (WAT).

    Calls for state policing have been made by several Governors as a way to solve insecurity across the country.

    Nigeria’s current policing system is controlled by the Federal Government.

    The President alluded to the propensity for Governors to abuse their powers as his argument against state police.

    “State police is not an option,” he said. “Find out the relationship between local government and the Governors. Are the third tier of government getting what they are supposed to get constitutionally? Are they getting it? Let the people in local government tell you the truth, the fight between local governments and the Governor.”

    Commenting on the security situation in the country, the President said traditional rulers must play a huge role in bringing peace to communities.

    He also advocated for more dialogue in solving the farmer-herder clashes recorded across the country.

    “The role of traditional rulers must not be undermined, because in their areas they know who is who, even by families, not to even talk of individuals,” he said.

    “So, we have to revert to that system for us to have effective security in the localities.

    “For example, there were two Governors that came to see me about problems – Oyo state and one other state – because the herders were in their forests but the animals were going into the neighbouring farms, and eating the crops; I said, as far as I know, the farmers and herders have been co-existing in Nigeria for generations. Let them go and ask the local leadership what has gone wrong, why the break in communication between the local leadership and the herders.”

  • JUST IN: State police is not an option – President Buhari

    JUST IN: State police is not an option – President Buhari

    The President made the remark in an exclusive interview with Channels Television which is scheduled to air on Wednesday at 7 pm (WAT).

    Calls for state policing have been made by several Governors as a way to solve insecurity across the country.

    Nigeria’s current policing system is controlled by the Federal Government.

    The President alluded to the propensity for Governors to abuse their powers as his argument against state police.

    “State police is not an option,” he said. “Find out the relationship between local government and the Governors. Are the third tier of government getting what they are supposed to get constitutionally? Are they getting it? Let the people in local government tell you the truth, the fight between local governments and the Governor.”

    Local solutions
    Commenting on the security situation in the country, the President said traditional rulers must play a huge role in bringing peace to communities.

    He also advocated for more dialogue in solving the farmer-herder clashes recorded across the country.

    “The role of traditional rulers must not be undermined, because in their areas they know who is who, even by families, not to even talk of individuals,” he said.

    “So, we have to revert to that system for us to have effective security in the localities.

    “For example, there were two Governors that came to see me about problems – Oyo state and one other state – because the herders were in their forests but the animals were going into the neighbouring farms, and eating the crops; I said, as far as I know, the farmers and herders have been co-existing in Nigeria for generations. Let them go and ask the local leadership what has gone wrong, why the break in communication between the local leadership and the herders.”

  • Why State Police Is Not The Answer To Insecurity – Ex-Police Chief

    Why State Police Is Not The Answer To Insecurity – Ex-Police Chief

    A former Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Wilson Inalegwu, has voiced concerns against calls for state police across Nigeria.

    As insecurity worsens in many parts of the country, State Governors and other stakeholders have called for a restructuring of the police.

    Under the current arrangement, the police is controlled and funded by the Federal Government but states have some room to shape its operations within their jurisdiction.

    According to Mr Inalegwu, improved funding for police operations will yield better results than restructuring.

    “I am not an advocate, today, of state police because of my own experience as an officer who has served in various commands,” he said.

    Mr Inalegwu suggested that state police can lead to widespread abuse of force by local politicians.

    He said: “Have you heard that in some places, some politicians cannot even visit their homes? And when they visit, things happen. People could come around your eyes and they begin to fire.

    “Have you heard any local government election they conducted that any other party won apart from the party in that state, where you have the State Independent Electoral Commission?

    “We can criticise the Nigerian police force, but let’s criticise them in context.

    “I believe that the Nigerian police officer is the most competent, the most diligent, the most capable officer, but the environment he finds himself . .

  • Reps approve bill to create state police, security outfits

    Reps approve bill to create state police, security outfits

    The House of Representatives has passed for second reading, a bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution to allow creation of state police and legalise regional security outfits. The current police system will be decentralised by moving police from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List.

    Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, Onofiok Luke, who sponsored the bill, said in the explanatory note that the bill seeks to alter the Constitution “to provide for state police and other state government security services to enhance security and preservation of lives and properties in Nigeria”.

    The bill especially proposes an amendment to Section 197(1) by inserting new Paragraphs ‘e’ and ‘f’ to provide for ‘State Police Council’ and ‘State Police Service Commission,’ respectively.

    The Second Schedule to the Constitution will also be altered in Part I by deleting Item 45 from the Exclusive Legislative List; and in Part II by inserting after Item 30 on the Concurrent Legislative List, new Items 31 and 32.

    The proposal reads, “(31) The National Assembly may make laws for the establishment of the federal police and other federal government security services;

    “(32) A House of Assembly may make laws for the establishment of state police and other state government security services.”

    The Third Schedule to the Constitution will also be altered by inserting new Paragraphs 9 to 12

    The new paragraphs read, “(9) A State Police Council shall comprise the following members: (a) the governor, who shall be the chairman; (b) the chairman of the State Police Service Commission; and (c) State Commissioner of Police.

    “(10) The functions of a State Police Council shall include (a) the organisation and administration of a State Police Force and all other matters relating thereto (not being matters relating to the use and operational control of the Force or the appointment, disciplinary control and dismissal of members of the Force); (b) the general supervision of a State Police Force; and (c) advising the governor on the appointment of State Commissioner of Police.”

    Leading debate on the bill, Luke said, “Many years after independence, Nigeria has continually been beset with insecurity ranging from terrorism, kidnapping, armed robbery and domestic violence. Granted that there is no society without crime or manifestation of criminal behaviour, our inability to bring to the barest minimum crime is a scathing indictment on the current security architecture and structure in the country.

    “The federal structuring of our security does not encourage community policing or localisation of policing. Recruitment and subsequent deployment of police officers in their local area is one of the major ways of curbing crime. Such officers understand the area, terrain, language, behaviour and attitude of the people he or she is policing.

    “Nigeria, a country with over 201 million people, is grossly under policed with about 400, 000 police personnel. This number falls far short of the United Nation’s recommendation of ratio 1 per 400 citizens.

    “The Constitution envisages Nigeria as a federal state. Granting allowance to state governments to establish police force and other security apparatuses will bring Nigeria into original constitutional contemplation of a federal state.”

    The Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu, stated that creation of state police is long overdue with the current security crises across the country.

    Okechukwu said, “This bill is germane. About an hour ago, we observed a minute silence for our people; for the citizens of Nigeria who were killed in Kaduna. In addition to that, my colleague, Hon Barde, also moved a motion to ensure the rescue of 140 pupils – children – who were going to school that were taken in Kaduna. We have had situations in this country that ordinarily, this issue of state police should have been addressed a long time ago.

    “Good enough, the recurrence with which it appears and comes up in the efforts to alter the Constitution gives strength to the fact that it is needed. As a matter of fact, the Exclusive List needs to shed weight and if it is going to shed weight with regard to making our country more efficient and secure, the better we are for it.

    “As a matter of fact, there is no state in this federation that does not run a security outfit. No state! Whether it is Amotekun or Hisbah or Vigilante or Ebube Agu, whichever name you call it, they all run it. But what character do they possess? What ingredients are they lacking? They are lacking the power to ordinarily bear arms and to arrest and prosecute.

    “We need to occasion this; we need to bring it to the fore to solve the challenges we are having. We cannot be living and pretending that everything is okay. Nothing is okay. If 13 schools were closed in Kaduna, it is not a joke. We need to address this and address this seriously.”

    The House had earlier on June 9, 2021, approved a bill to amend the 1999 Constitution to recognise security outfits created by states to complement the Nigeria Police Force in the effort to protect lives and property.

    Sponsored by Anthony Afe from Delta State, the legislation is titled ‘A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to Give Legal Backing to State Security Outfit to Complement the Nigeria Police Force.’

    Already, several states and geopolitical zones have established vigilante groups and security outfits with various codenames.

    Prominent among them is the South-West Security Network Agency, popularly called Amotekun, which has chapters across the six states in the zone.

    The joint security and vigilante network in the South-East is codenamed, Ebube Agu.

    While there is the religious Hisbah in some northern states, there is the Civilian Joint Task Force in states in the North-East fighting insurgency together with the Armed Forces.

    Lagos State had the Neighborhood Safety Corps before Amotekun was established.

    Benue State also has Livestock Guards.

  • Insecurity: PDP Demands State Police, Border Protection Squad

    Insecurity: PDP Demands State Police, Border Protection Squad

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded the creation of state police, better equipment for the military, and the creation of a border protection squad.

    This according to the political party is in order to urgently bring the security problem in the nation under control.

    National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, made the call at a briefing in Abuja, on Monday.

    The party chairman expressed disappointment that President Muhammadu Buhari has not deemed it fit to address Nigerians over the deteriorating security situation.

    The party recommends the creation of state police, upscaling of the personnel strength of the arm forces, and the creation of a National border protection force different from the existing immigration and customs to check the influx of armed criminal gangs.

    Also at the briefing, one of the leaders of the party, Bukola Saraki emphasised that the party will continue to put pressure on President Buhari’s administration through constitutional means to demand that Nigeria is salvaged from the current security crises.

  • State Police will enhance security, help States – Akeredolu

    State Police will enhance security, help States – Akeredolu

    The Governor of Ondo State and Chairman of the South-West Governors’ Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu, has said that every state must be allowed to secure its space.

    He made this call during his swearing-in for a second term in office which held today at the International Centre for Culture and Events in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

    Akeredolu also used the opportunity to call for state police, adding that such propelled the South-West governors to form a regional security network codenamed Amotekun.

    He said, “The primary responsibility of any government is the security of lives and property of its citizens.

    “We are of the firm belief that it is high time the police central command became devolved to the federating units for effective monitoring.

    “We have been relentless in advocating for the establishment of state police. There can be another way if we are indeed serious about securing lives and property.

    “It is this incongruity which propelled the South-West governors to form a Regional security Network codenamed Amotekun.

    “The ultimate is to convince others to understand that devolution of authority is inexorable. Every state must be allowed to secure its space.

    The Governor hailed the Amotekun outfit, saying it has done well and with successes that justify its establishment.

    “It has been able to work within the law establishing it. Its operations and successes recorded justify its establishment,” he said.

  • Insecurity: Give Us State Police, Decentralise Judiciary Now – El-Rufai

    Insecurity: Give Us State Police, Decentralise Judiciary Now – El-Rufai

    Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has joined his voice with national analysts calling for devolution of power between the Federal Government and 36 states in the country.

    The governor who was one of the speakers at a programme called ‘Radio Now’s Urgent Conversation’ aired Thursday on Channels Television said state police and devolution of the judiciary is important to save Nigeria from the brink of collapse.

    “I will dwell on three of the issues that I believe are critical to the immediate needs of the country to pull back from the brink.

    “The first, it is imperative for Federal, state, and community policing. We do not have enough police. One centralised police for the country just has not worked.

    “Secondly, we must amend the constitution and relevant laws to ensure control of oil and gas, mines, and minerals in the states that already have control over land under the land use Act with royalties and taxes payable to the Federal Government and the Federation Account

    “Number three, we must rectify the anomaly of a Federation that has a more or less unitary judiciary,” the governor explained.

    While stressing his earlier points highlighted, the governor said, “My first recommendation is to implement the three key devolution proposals that I mentioned above. Give us state police now, vest all minerals in the state now, and decentralised our judiciary now, not tomorrow, not later.”

    El-Rufai also stressed that banditry is a national problem and it is the responsibility of relevant stakeholders to calm nerves through their utterances and not fan the embers of division.

    “It is an understatement to say that Nigeria is in one of its most difficult moments. The genuine fears for their lives and property felt by many citizens across the country need to be assuaged. All responsible persons must show compassion to our compatriots that have been affected while calming nerves.

    “Banditry is a national problem, with victims from all parts of the country, and we should address it with a common resolve,” El-Rufai said.

    According to the governor, the country requires elite consensus to take the poison out of identity politics.