The discussion has been on for some time on the desirability or otherwise of a state armed and controlled police force.
The protagonists simply are saying that either the police as presently constituted and managed have failed or to be mild, is not doing enough to check the high level and sophistry of crimes meted on Nigerians in recent times.
If it is not Boko Haram or military, it is kidnapping or armed robbery to mention a fear. The state governors in their very strong opinions believe that a police force originating from their offices and also ending there will give them all the powers they need to be effectively in charge of security in their states.
Supporters say that the members of the State Police will be entirely drawn from the indigenes of that state who are supposed to know all the nooks and corners of the state and perhaps also know who is who, who is doing what and where, what is being planned and peculiarities in modus operandi. Straight Talk. This then presupposes that every indigene of any state knows everywhere in his state, local governments and communities so as to be used effectively in any part of that state. But will they be recruited on local government and community bases and be so stationed for this all important optimum performance?
The antagonists are drawing inspiration largely from the fact that common or ordinary governance at whatever level has proved impossible even with a common national constitution and or partly manifesto then to talk of the management of a brute force in a country where muscle flexing is the other of the day is something else.
Come to think of it the different task forces, put up by states and local governments, some uniformed and even armed otherwise called vigilante groups, constitute a local police force and has not been effectively managed.
The big question is should the police be solely blamed for the present security lapses even when some arrested criminals use both army and police uniforms and carry weapons exclusive to both organizations. If the combined effects of the joint Task force have not been able to detect criminals, would a smaller and isolate organization such as state police be more effective? It is only someone who was not in Owerri the day the then Standard Trust Bank now UBA along Wetheral Road Owerri was robbed by a deadly armed gang that will advocate the use of state police to fight an invasion of such magnitude. Let that experience only be referred to but not fully recounted. I beg of you.
In this country where power or authority is centrally controlled , courtesy of long military rule and finances are centrally controlled and disbursed courtesy of capitalism the Nigerian brand, what will become of the funding of the state police. Will there be a restructuring of the present police which is federal. Should every man be asked to go to his state and what about their wages which obviously the states cannot carry? Should the present police structure be left as it is and be doing what when states own and control their own police? As at now, states point accusing fingers at the Federal government because of insufficiency of federal allocation of funds to states who are unable to pay salaries which motivates hardwork. The federal government ofNigeriahas not been fully able to equip the police force effectively. Will the state police be equally sophiscated in nature in terms of equipment or will they only carry batons and whistles and still guarantee effective and efficient service delivery.
In any case it is expected that state laws will govern the operation of the state police. In other words, we are looking at (36) thirty six states laws for same number of police forces each being loyal to their state. Each state police is expected to be state compliant no doubt. Yes state compliance as is the case of state media organization and judiciary.
In state media compliance you only publish or cause to be publishing the government’s side of any story or matter. All contrary views are either white washed or masked completely. No one will like to be constantly reminded that he who pays the piper should dictate the tone.
Judicial compliance is equally bizarre. Every Nigerian knows that since the advent of military rule inNigeriawhich has been inherited by their oppressive civilian successors, elected or constitutionally constituted governments and bodies have been sacked or disbanded with recklessness and without recourse to any known decorous approach. You only hear a radio or television announcement and that is that and it is all over.
It is however on record that a state compliant judiciary ruled against a group of people who came to seek for justice against a state governor after their tenure was breached and elected abruptly via the usual or is it traditional radio and television announcements. Hear the state compliant judge “there is no evidence tendered by yourselves to show that you were sacked.” They were subsequently fined for abandonment of their jobs, even when it was obvious that the police and military were used to stop them from entering their offices after the sack announcements and by the way who has ever been giving a letter in that style of sacking. Very soon, what is perhaps permissible or does not constitute an offence inEnuguorBenuestates might soon become a crime in Sokoto or Imo state.
Take a look at the way two separate task forces of the same state or local governments collect tariffs and rates on the high way passing through their domains. What ever tariff you have paid in your state may require to be repeated in a neighbouring local government or state because they have differently framed by-laws or levies.
The only way to input harmony in the state police is if there will be only one law governing their operation and where then lie their autonomy and only against a single police force.
I have personally observed that military vehicles are not stopped at police checks which may be interpreted by them as ‘espirit de corps’ but ordinary people see it as a mark of fear and superiority.
In a scenario where the army is stopped by a state police what happens? In issues of command who takes from who especially as ‘orders is orders’ and no discretion may be allowed so as to avoid the misinterpretation of insubordination bearing in mind that police and army clashes here in the past left sour tastes in the mouth of many Nigerians.
One also needs to consider the power equation and supremacy controversy between the federal and state police when and if it comes into being.
One day, I was in a taxi journey fromWashingtontoMarylandinUSAsomewhere along the roads, there was a late afternoon traffic build up and a consequent go slow. Then suddenly the police pulled a vehicle outside the lane and the two occupants were army officers. The red colour and number of stars on their shoulders by our Nigerian Standard shows that they were very high ranking army officers. I pointed out to my co-traveler, a professor and former vice chancellor of a university inNigeriathat the police was taking a risk. He quickly reminded me that the two army officers would be taking a risk if they failed to obey because the police are the symbol of American democracy and civility and not the army. It cannot happen here no matter what.
One fine academic argument is that much will depend on training and orientation.
However if for more than half a century after independence we have not got the right police structure and stature to expect to get one overnight which will operate without partiality and bias is a day dream.
A glimpse into the state police will reveal that in the South East zone, it will be mainly composed of members of the (MASSOB) Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign state ofBiafra. In the South West, it will be largely composed of members of (OPC ) – the Odua Peoples Congress and in the Northern zones it will be set up with the (AYCF)- Area Youth Consultative Forum. It is needless here to remind ourselves that in the South South zone, not the (MEND) the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta who have largely been amnestied into gainful employments but those folks who stubbornly rejected amnesty will now find home in the state police more so now that they have been allowed to officially sing the song of self determination. The reason being that all the mentioned groups above, house all the unemployed hands looking for what to do or where to vent their anger due to continued and biting idleness and frustrations.
When it is realized that two or more political parties are in power in each of all the geo-political zones, you can visualize the type of party and state compliant police that will be put in place with each working in consonance and according to the purposes of the matter who set them up.
The state police will help to create jobs and absorb idle hands but when one considers the dread of running an empty stomach police force, it becomes obvious that we have embarked on the fastest highway to anarchy. Will I be sounding unpatriotic? Time will tell.
A committee of past Inspector -General of Police was in Aso Rock to argue against state police force while one of their big bosses was vehemently supporting it, so it is neither here no there.
To the ordinary Nigerian what is uppermost in our coordination is the adequate security of life and property and we are for which ever guarantees this personal or selfish interests and considerations should be set aside and sincerity of purpose made the focus.
Nigerian, who will be the beneficiaries or invariably the victims of whatever that would be put in places, should speak up.
The conduct of true democratic tenets cannot thrive outside the rule of law and the police are the chief law enforcement organ of any government.
