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It is a well known fact that insecurity has enveloped the landscape of Nigeria and
had increasingly led to public outcry and calls for Military assistance to the
Police to maintain law and order in the country. There are daily occurrences of
robbery incidents all across the country leading to several lost of lives with
scores being maimed for life.
The incessant ethnic, communal and political clashes in Nigeria have taken a
wider dimension, leading to colossal loss of lives and property. Cases of
kidnapping and militancy across the country have exposed the helplessness and
inefficiency of the Nigerian police in the face of such disturbing phenomenon.
The campaign for the introduction of State Police was given prominence by two
former governors, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu during their
tenure as governors of Lagos and Abia state respectively. Now, this campaign is
again being promoted by Nigerian Governors Forum led by Hon. Chibuike
Amaechi, the Rivers State Governor. Media report says that this is one of the
conditions presented to President Goodluck Jonathan before his single tenure bill
can be supported by the governors.
My argument on this is that, part of our problem is that we tend to replicate
policies borrowed from the West without an understanding of why such policies
are working in these countries. Every country has its cultural and sociological
web, that need to be well considered before the introduction of a policy, to avoid
any failure or waste of resources. There is nothing absolutely wrong with the
introduction of State Police, as this has been shown to be working effectively in
several countries.
However, here in Nigeria, we still have some religious, ethnic, cultural and
political challenges. It is against this background that I urge that we again think
twice before considering the introduction of State Police. This policy is ill-timed,
do not have a fertile soil that will enable it germinate and produce its desired
fruits. In the US where this policy is in place, an average American sees his/her
fellow American as one, same and, not based on the religion or ethnic group the
other belongs. There is one law that governs all irrespective of race, colour,
religion or political leaning.
The real reason(s) why the Nigerian Police have performed poorly over the years
is not because it is been controlled from the centre, the basic causes of its
abysmal performance had been analyzed by experts in security matters.
Nigerian Police force, they have affirmed, needs far reaching reform including,
higher welfare package, sophisticated security weapons and gadgets, sound
training and re-training, rewards for achievements and punishments for failures.
These and many more, they posited, will ensure that men, women and officers of
the Nigerian Police perform their duties better.
Since independence, Nigeria has often grappled with religious, ethnic and
political divisions. For State Police forces to be successful in Nigeria, like the
American system, the government and citizens of Nigeria must have outgrown all
these challenges. Like late Afro beat king, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, sang in one of
his numerous album; ‘anywhere the muslims dem dey reign, na de senior Alhaji,
na im be director; anywhere de christians dem dey reign, na the best friend to
bishop na im be director…’, this is still very operative in our Nigeria of today. Our
relationship, behavior to the other person has to do with where s/he belongs.
For a State Police that is desirable, every Nigerian must be able to live in any
part of the country without fear of molestation by the so-called indigenes of such
community. In Lagos for instance, the traffic managers known as, LASTMA, are
known to be more vicious and callous towards “non-indigenes,” who fail foul of
the state traffic rules than towards Yoruba “indigenes”. The Oodua Peoples’
Congress (OPC) , who are also known to enforce certain laws in South West
Nigeria are also in this category when they encounter non-Yorubas, yet, it is
these persons that will be recruited into the State Police that are being
canvassed.
Some years back, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, then governor of Lagos declared
Chief Francis Arthur Nzeribe, a Senator of the Federal Republic, a persona non
grata in Lagos. One then wonders if there were to be a state police what he
would have done to Chief Nzeribe then. Our political leaders, especially the state
governors will very well abuse this initiative thereby killing the original concept.
When the EFCC made attempt to arrest the former governor of Delta State he
resisted such through his well armed youths of his community. Certainly, if there
is state police these boys will be there and you can bet where their loyalty will
be.
Again, in Nigeria there is always a battle of supremacy between settlers and
indigenes, majority and minority tribes. We must deal with these challenges, to
allow all Nigerians see themselves as one and the same first before we consider
State Police coming into place in our national security system.
The demand by some state governors for the creation of state police is not
because they are keen to provide security for their people, but for their myopic,
selfish, and parochial interest. What the governors want is the absolute control
of the police in their states so as to coerce their opponents to do their will
without any question, to further terrorize opposition groups and appear and seen
as the king of the jungle. This is just the simple truth. We are just hearing how
the Abia State governor’s son went to a supermarket and ordered all other
customers out, in the process he slapped an army colonel who dared challenge
him. For instance, many of the governors who recovered their mandates through
the courts will not have succeeded if we had state police in operation.
It is diversionary from the real issues of governance in their various states. Apart
from Lagos state, all other states solely depend on the statutory monthly federal
allocation to function. None are looking inwards to raise their local revenue
thereby creating jobs for the teeming populace of the states, and using the
internally generated revenue to transform their states to meet with modern time.
The Chibuike Amaechi led Governors Forum will do well if they press for the
centre to allow the states control of electricity, roads, before delving into
security. For now, security is still better in the hands of government at the centre.
Uzodinma Nwaogbe
Uzodinma65@yahoo.com
0803.841.9391
had increasingly led to public outcry and calls for Military assistance to the
Police to maintain law and order in the country. There are daily occurrences of
robbery incidents all across the country leading to several lost of lives with
scores being maimed for life.
The incessant ethnic, communal and political clashes in Nigeria have taken a
wider dimension, leading to colossal loss of lives and property. Cases of
kidnapping and militancy across the country have exposed the helplessness and
inefficiency of the Nigerian police in the face of such disturbing phenomenon.
The campaign for the introduction of State Police was given prominence by two
former governors, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu during their
tenure as governors of Lagos and Abia state respectively. Now, this campaign is
again being promoted by Nigerian Governors Forum led by Hon. Chibuike
Amaechi, the Rivers State Governor. Media report says that this is one of the
conditions presented to President Goodluck Jonathan before his single tenure bill
can be supported by the governors.
My argument on this is that, part of our problem is that we tend to replicate
policies borrowed from the West without an understanding of why such policies
are working in these countries. Every country has its cultural and sociological
web, that need to be well considered before the introduction of a policy, to avoid
any failure or waste of resources. There is nothing absolutely wrong with the
introduction of State Police, as this has been shown to be working effectively in
several countries.
However, here in Nigeria, we still have some religious, ethnic, cultural and
political challenges. It is against this background that I urge that we again think
twice before considering the introduction of State Police. This policy is ill-timed,
do not have a fertile soil that will enable it germinate and produce its desired
fruits. In the US where this policy is in place, an average American sees his/her
fellow American as one, same and, not based on the religion or ethnic group the
other belongs. There is one law that governs all irrespective of race, colour,
religion or political leaning.
The real reason(s) why the Nigerian Police have performed poorly over the years
is not because it is been controlled from the centre, the basic causes of its
abysmal performance had been analyzed by experts in security matters.
Nigerian Police force, they have affirmed, needs far reaching reform including,
higher welfare package, sophisticated security weapons and gadgets, sound
training and re-training, rewards for achievements and punishments for failures.
These and many more, they posited, will ensure that men, women and officers of
the Nigerian Police perform their duties better.
Since independence, Nigeria has often grappled with religious, ethnic and
political divisions. For State Police forces to be successful in Nigeria, like the
American system, the government and citizens of Nigeria must have outgrown all
these challenges. Like late Afro beat king, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, sang in one of
his numerous album; ‘anywhere the muslims dem dey reign, na de senior Alhaji,
na im be director; anywhere de christians dem dey reign, na the best friend to
bishop na im be director…’, this is still very operative in our Nigeria of today. Our
relationship, behavior to the other person has to do with where s/he belongs.
For a State Police that is desirable, every Nigerian must be able to live in any
part of the country without fear of molestation by the so-called indigenes of such
community. In Lagos for instance, the traffic managers known as, LASTMA, are
known to be more vicious and callous towards “non-indigenes,” who fail foul of
the state traffic rules than towards Yoruba “indigenes”. The Oodua Peoples’
Congress (OPC) , who are also known to enforce certain laws in South West
Nigeria are also in this category when they encounter non-Yorubas, yet, it is
these persons that will be recruited into the State Police that are being
canvassed.
Some years back, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, then governor of Lagos declared
Chief Francis Arthur Nzeribe, a Senator of the Federal Republic, a persona non
grata in Lagos. One then wonders if there were to be a state police what he
would have done to Chief Nzeribe then. Our political leaders, especially the state
governors will very well abuse this initiative thereby killing the original concept.
When the EFCC made attempt to arrest the former governor of Delta State he
resisted such through his well armed youths of his community. Certainly, if there
is state police these boys will be there and you can bet where their loyalty will
be.
Again, in Nigeria there is always a battle of supremacy between settlers and
indigenes, majority and minority tribes. We must deal with these challenges, to
allow all Nigerians see themselves as one and the same first before we consider
State Police coming into place in our national security system.
The demand by some state governors for the creation of state police is not
because they are keen to provide security for their people, but for their myopic,
selfish, and parochial interest. What the governors want is the absolute control
of the police in their states so as to coerce their opponents to do their will
without any question, to further terrorize opposition groups and appear and seen
as the king of the jungle. This is just the simple truth. We are just hearing how
the Abia State governor’s son went to a supermarket and ordered all other
customers out, in the process he slapped an army colonel who dared challenge
him. For instance, many of the governors who recovered their mandates through
the courts will not have succeeded if we had state police in operation.
It is diversionary from the real issues of governance in their various states. Apart
from Lagos state, all other states solely depend on the statutory monthly federal
allocation to function. None are looking inwards to raise their local revenue
thereby creating jobs for the teeming populace of the states, and using the
internally generated revenue to transform their states to meet with modern time.
The Chibuike Amaechi led Governors Forum will do well if they press for the
centre to allow the states control of electricity, roads, before delving into
security. For now, security is still better in the hands of government at the centre.
Uzodinma Nwaogbe
Uzodinma65@yahoo.com
0803.841.9391
Uzodinma Nwaogbe
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Before State Police in Nigeria!
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Examiner.com. Please avoid abusive, vulgar, racist or rude words. Our
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