Interrogating State Police as a panacea to insecurity in Nigeria

Insecurity has become a cankerworm in the sociopolitical landscape of Nigeria as a nation. To mitigate this hazardous influence appears to have bewildered us. There should be a cogent and succinct step by the government to tame this dragon.

Nigeria became a Republic in the year 1963 at the aftermath of her Independence in the year 1960. In dealing with the strides and tides of our political landscape, there needs to be neighborhood security watch within each state of the federation, the system of government being practised in Nigeria is democracy in which party system is enfranchised for electing political office holders.

For us to experience peace and serenity, the government needs to be owned by the people because that is the major aim of any democratic arrangement.

Currently in Nigeria, the system of Policing is controlled by the federal government with the inspector general of police being the chief administrative officer of the Nigeria Police Force. However, to ensure smooth operation of the Police Force, Police Service Commission oversees the affairs of the Police Force.

In Nigeria, cases of kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, and other security escapades have continued to escalate which have been a major blackmail on the present administration.

To ensure efficient service delivery, security of the people which is the primary aim of Nigeria government must be prioritised and adequately kept intact to ensure safety of lives and properties of Nigerians.

There is an issue which ought to be addressed, as stated in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Governor of each state within the federation is the chief security officer of the state; however, there usually arise a confusion in the directive given to the Commissioner of Police within each state in area of law enforcement. Most commissioners of police listen to the directives of the federal might which are far away in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. But, it is the Governor within the state that understands the nitty gritty of insecurity in the state being governed, to address this issue within Nigeria, there should be an establishment of a formidable and powerful security agency which is more closer and created from the people within each state of the Nigerian federation, given full power to execute security duties.

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However, for the aforementioned to be well established, the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria needs to be aborted, with the formation of a new constitution drafted based on the yearnings of the people not neglecting the upliftment of the principles of democracy and rule of law, because the present constitution within Nigeria is the handwork of military dictators.

For a democratic nation like Nigeria to experience peace and serenity, the rule of law must be a formidable scheme by the people.

In the establishment of State Police within each state of the Federation, the people will be well secured and any unscrupulous element will easily be detected by the people’s security.

The antidote to any crime which comprises insecurity is economic empowerment; a nation devoid of crime and rampant insecurity is a nation void of economic mismanagement. Over the years in Nigeria, there has been evident of looting of the nation’s treasury by those entrusted with these valuable tasks.

For us to be free from the shackles of insecurity and uncertainty of lives and property, there need to be upward review of wages of the security personnel compared to the law makers. If lawmakers are earning huge amount of income as “prayer sent to their mail,” then nothing prevents an average Police officer from earning a living wage.

Insecurity in Nigeria will be a thing of the past if only security operatives, especially the police, are well equipped and the people empowered appropriately; it is said that a hungry man is an angry man; hunger here depicts longing for daily means of livelihood.

In interrogating state Police as a Panacea to insecurity in Nigeria, there needs to be adequate comparison of the Nigeria Police Force to that of the United State Police. Power is vested in the United State Police to the extent that the US President is not immune to arrest by the country’s police.

For us to ensure adequate establishment of a police force by the state, there needs to be a fusion and upright decision by the state government.

Nigeria is blessed with huge resources which government can endeavour to utilise in meeting the demands of the people.

State Police has been the agitation of several state actors within Nigeria, but the fear of federal government in withholding its creation was that some state governors might use some of the force as agent of political thuggery. However, to ensure smooth operation of state police force if created, the people must cooperate with the police force in the realisation of a safe and better Nigeria.

Akingbohungbe, author, reporter, motivational speaker, writes from Ogun State, Nigeria.

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