When opinions are formed on a national issue, oftentimes those in opposition that have perceived negative thinking could undermine and derail such progressive opinions.
This is the situation on hand concerning the issue of the soon to be implemented state police. Before now, elite like former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former military President, Ibrahim Babangida, and many others had openly advocated for the introduction of state police in the country.
Listening to opponents of this noble idea, all they hold onto as their major arguement is the fear of sitting governors hijacking the system just as they did with local government administration. Inasmuch as one can partially agree with them, one believes that, since this is a security matter, no one would allow them to hijack the system for their political interest or gain.
With the recent pronouncement and backing of Vice President Yemi Osibanjo, who spoke extensively on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, disclosing that the federal government was ready to implement the first step towards the establishment of state police.
What is state police all about? Simply explained, it is a system whereby states are allowed to be fully in charge of the administration of justice and policing in the state. In the case of Nigeria, it would mean transiting from national or centralised policing system to territorial, provincial or state policing system. According to Wikipedia, “The South African Police (SAP) was the national police force and law enforcement agency in South Africa from 1913 to 1994; it was the de facto police force in the territory of South West Africa (Namibia) from 1939 to 1981. After South Africa’s transition to democracy in 1994, the SAP was reorganised into the South African Police Service.”
This, I believe, is the type of restructuring that government wants to carry out in Nigeria. Many believe that the country is not ripe for such a move, as they point at the murky waters of Nigerian politics, where state governors have almost exterminated the local government structure, and could also tamper with the police system.
So, handing such a powerful tool to them would mean over-empowering them politically.
In all the countries of the world where state police is practiced, are there no politicians? Is the law not there to regulate such excesses? There is no good policy that would not have its teething problems. It is commendable that the Buhari administration has embraced this policy and is ready to implement it. However, one would be quick to advise that there should be restraint, there should be no need to rush its implementation. Such a noble policy should carry the lgislative arm of government along and it should be carried out in stages. It would be better to see it being implemented first in Lagos, Rivers, Enugu, Abuja, Kaduna, Kano and Borno states, as case studies. These seven states are to be the implementation states and, should there be any noticeable errors, these could be rectified and corrected in the second stage of implementation. Through this system, the face of policing and administration of justice would not only change but would efficiently be improved. The benefits of state police are far more noticeable than the unnoticed flaws espoused by critics of the system.
My security visit to my home state, Abia (1)
When you travel to your home state as a security writer or personnel, all you expect is perfection in every compartment of security, especially policing and the administration of justice. Many would have wanted me to visit when the strange “python” was seen dancing naked with its skin peeling off along the streets of Umuahia. Many would have also expected me to have been around when the voice of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) was resonating in all parts of the state. When jobless youths of Abia State were recruited and brainwashed to fight for the emancipation and rebirth of Biafra.
These youths envisaged an utopian country but failed to understand that the energy they were wasting on the venture should have been better programmed to salvage the country Nigeria.
Unfortunately, their clamour and agitation saw them being labelled a terrorist group. I would have been in Abia State but the call of duty saw me in the state that harbours the real terrorists. All that is now history.
I drove into Abia, a state where the faces of both the military and police have become a regular feature, as they hold sway along the high ways.
Impressively, the mobile police and military personnel I came across along the roads exhibited one thing and that was constant supervision by their superior.
I was later made to understand that the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Anthony Micheal Oguisi, usually disguised as mere passenger to check on the policemen posted to checkpoints in the state. No wonder, one policeman who pleaded anonymity told this writer, “Oga please don’t put me in trouble!” I had asked my driver to offer the police sergeant a gift of just N500. He waved us to continue our journey after uttering those words. Thank God I am witnessing this in my state, the number one state and the only state mentioned in the Holy Bible, Matthew 1:7 (KJV): “And Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;”
( To be continued)
SECURITY TIPS
*Don’t ask your child to switch on or off any electric appliance without wearing footwear.
* Ensure that all the electrical appliances in the house or business premises are off when not in use.
* When there is an electric shock, avoid watery surrounding.