Senate minority leader raises fresh doubts over state police

… faults govts motives

Abba Moro, the Senate Minority Leader, has raised fresh concerns over the proposed creation of state police, arguing that it may not provide the solution to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.

Moro, who represents Benue South Senatorial District, said many governors championing the initiative appeared to be driven by personal interests rather than a genuine desire to tackle insecurity.

He spoke with journalists at the National Assembly on Wednesday after plenary while providing further comments on his motion calling for urgent action to end the recurring killings in parts of Benue State.

The lawmaker expressed doubts about the financial capacity of many states to sustain a police force under their control.

He also warned that state police could be manipulated for political purposes, drawing parallels with the operations of state independent electoral commissions.

“How are we sure, like I used to say, that the state police will not be put to use the way the state independent electoral commission has been put in recent times, endangering our democracy?

“I think at the moment, those asking for state police are asking for it as an institution to put to whatever use they want, not necessarily as an institution to confront the menace of insecurity,” he said.

Using Benue State as an example, Moro said existing community security outfits had been left underfunded despite their role in tackling violent attacks.

He cited “Operation Zenda”, the Volunteer Guards and Homeland Security, noting that members of the security outfits were reportedly yet to receive their monthly allowance of ₦15,000 and lacked the equipment required to respond effectively to attacks.

“In my state, we have those of you from Benue State; you know about the existence of Operation Zenda, which is a coming together of all the security forces to form one unit of operation.

“We also have in Benue State the volunteer guards, and from the part of the state that I come from, we have homeland security.

“I stand to be corrected, but as the last time I checked, the N15,000 for personnel of the operation Vanguard in Benue State has not been paid, and they lack the necessary logistics and equipment to confront the menace of armed attacks,” Moro said.

The senator questioned how state governments that were unable to adequately fund existing security structures would cope with the financial burden of operating a state police service.”

He added, “The question that begs for an answer is this. If you are unable to equip these informal security outfits to pay the stipend of N15,000 every month to personnel of these informal security outfits, where are you going to get the money to fund the state police?

“I just pray that in the face of this menace that all of us are alive going forward to see what the State Police will do, because in these states that have been clamouring for State Police, they have informal security outfits,” he added.

The Senate approved the State Police Bill in June after more than two-thirds of senators supported it through a manual voting process.

Although the House of Representatives had earlier passed its own version, lawmakers on Tuesday withdrew that version and began consideration of the Senate’s bill.

For the proposed constitutional amendment to take effect, it must secure approval from at least 24 of the 36 state Houses of Assembly before being transmitted to the president for assent.

Supporters of the legislation argue that decentralising policing would improve intelligence gathering, strengthen community-based security responses and bring law enforcement closer to the people.

Under Section 17 of the bill, the Nigeria Police Force would continue to be headed by the Inspector-General of Police, while each state’s police service would be led by a Commissioner of Police appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state’s House of Assembly.

The bill also empowers governors, under Section 17(6), to issue lawful written directives of a general policy nature to state commissioners of police on matters relating to public safety and public order.

In addition, Section 22 establishes a State Police Service Commission in every state with responsibility for recruiting officers, handling promotions and enforcing disciplinary measures.

While the legislation does not specify a funding formula, it places primary responsibility for financing and administering the state police on state governments.

If eventually implemented, the proposed framework would significantly devolve policing powers from the federal government to the states, giving governors greater influence over security administration within their jurisdictions.