TIME FOR STATE POLICE IS NOW
establishing State Police under a proper legislative framework, will definitely prevent State Governors from misusing them. For example, there could be established a Federal regulatory body that establishes minimum standards, qualifications and requirements for employment into the Force; make rules to prevent jurisdictional and territorial conflicts and related inter-state and inter- border problems. It could also maintain a basic training school, for all Policemen to have some uniform procedures and processes.
This argument, as attractive as it is, it requires various interrogation. The reasons is that creating State Police, undoubtedly requires constitutional amendment. The 1999 Constitution as it is today, places the policing of the entire nation on the shoulders of the Federal Government. Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution provides that the Nigeria Police Force shall be under the full and exclusive control of the Federal Government. Furthermore, section 215 (2) of the same Constitution, provides: “the Nigeria Police Force shall be under the command of the Inspector-General of Police and any contingents of the Nigeria Police Force stationed in a State shall, subject to the authority of the IGP, be under the command of Commissioner of Police of that State”.
This is quite anomalous for a heterogeneous, multi-ethic, and religiously diverse country such as Nigeria.
After all, the very policing of the citizens of this country should be the duty of the various States that are close to the people, and not the Federal Government.
This argument finds support from the fact that in the United States of America, the Federal Government owns the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), while various Police Forces or Departments are owned by the States, county councils, municipal authorities and even territory institutions. Apart from the US, countries like Australia, Spain, Canada, Brazil and India, also operate State policing systems.
I humbly submit that, with State controlled Police, security, law and order would be more effectively maintained within the State. The personnel of such a force, being mostly indigenous, would be better able to contend with any uprising- be it Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen, Kidnappings or armed robbery incidences. Besides, some State Governments already have their own vigilante groups, quite akin to State Police established by law. For example, in the Southwest, we have the Odua People’s Congress (OPC). In the North, Hisbah is the Sharia Police in Kano, and they work in cooperation with the Federal Police. In the South-East, there exist the Bakassi Boys, IPOB and MASSOB. The South-South boasts of the Egbesu boys. The existence of these semi-Police Forces, is a pointer to the truth that there exists a policing gap across the States of the Federation, which these groups are admirably filling.
Some Opponents
As salutary as this argument is, many Nigerians are opposed to the creation of State Police for various reasons, some equally convincing.
Some argue that to have State Police, is to have replicated in our localities, the very inefficiency, corruption, and failures, that the Police at the Federal level has been saddled with. They urge that the urgent need of our time, is simply to have a Police Force that is professional both in outlook and content; a reform that is targeted at addressing structural, institutional and attitudinal challenges. Few of these pressure areas, they argue, are those that relate to recruitment, nature and content of the curriculum and internal discipline. The training manual must be civilian -friendly and 21st century-compliant, especially as regards the human rights content. For recruitment purposes, there must be a deliberate policy to undertake effective background checks, argued Professor Cyril Ndifon of the University of Calabar, who believes it is a case of “garbage in, garbage out”.
Dr.. Samson S. Ameh, SAN, adds his voice: “We should maintain the Nigeria Police on the exclusive legislative list of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. The idea of having a State Police is a good one, but the time is not ripe for it yet. We should remember that Nigeria started as a British colony, indeed a creation by a foreign power and thereby, any institution like the Nigeria Police which emphasises our image as a nation, as one country, should be encouraged for now.
Nella Andem-Rabana, SAN, forcefully argues that: “Unless Nigeria thinks through the necessary amendments/provisions to be made with regard to the following: (a) 2011 Constitution (as amended) (b) the Revenue Allocation Formula; and (c) infrastructure, and until it puts into effect those amendments for effective State policing, it may not be expedient to whimsically dismantle the existing police structure.
“The fact that the Nigerian Police Force is under the command of the IGP, an appointee of the President of the Federal Republic, means that all Commissioners of police report directly to him, and have limited powers/authority to make on-the- spot or far reaching decisions and in maintaining and securing public safety and order. This is a constitutional matter, which must be expressly addressed, in order to decentralise the Police Force.
“Also of constitutional significance, are matters such as purchase of fire arms, ammunition, explosives, banking, financial crimes, fingerprinting, identification and criminal records, all of which are on the Exclusive Legislative list in the 2011 Constitution (as amended). These matters should be put on the concurrent list, to give States necessary and relevant powers to enable them prevent, investigate and prosecute such crimes independent of Federal police. This would give the Federal police the opportunity to concentrate on Federal crimes which would have by then been clearly determined such as, Interstate, cross-border crimes and national security issues”. She argues for strengthening the police; to cope with the current insecurity in the country, requires optimal professionalism; the need for up-to-date technological and scientific expertise, robust and comprehensive criminal justice training especially in areas like psychology, forensic investigation, report writing, handwriting analysis, voice analysis, interrogation, negotiation, fingerprinting analysis, study of bomb composition and disposal, Cybercrime, deep sea diving etc. has to form part of the ongoing training program”, the purchase of hi-tech equipment, etc.
Yet, some others argue that, creation of State Police is simply an invitation to anarchy, because even if we create State, LG, clan, community or family police, it is the same corrupt Nigerians and corrupted institutions they will manage. They remind us of the havoc Native Council and Emirate Police caused Nigerians, during colonial times and the first Republic.
Chief John Ochoga notes that: “modern type policing began in London with the establishment of the Metropolitan Police by Sir Robert Peel in 1829, whereas the Nigeria Police Force, started as a body to meet the British colonial needs. The Consular Guards was established in Lagos in 1861, and later, by 1879, became the Hausa Constabulary, an armed force. Subsequently, there was the Northern Nigerian Police (1886), Royal Niger Constabulary (1888), The Niger Coast Constabulary (1894) and The Southern Nigerian Police Force (1906). By 1906, three distinct police forces existed in Nigeria. And in 1930, they were amalgamated - thus, the present name of The Nigeria Police Force.
“It is, therefore, clear that our colonial history, produced our current policing status. We can therefore, not separate our political development from our police force.
Nigeria’s 1966 political experience of coups, counter-coups, civil war and military regimes, have made our democracy “a learning process”, even at the age of 53 years.
“In Northern Nigeria, opposing politicians and their Lawyers, were detained at electoral/ polling units, to ensure nomination forms and documents were not filled against the ruling NPC (Northern Peoples Congress). Multi-party democracy was nothing but a big sham... The primordial nature of Nigeria, still makes State Police an idea whose time has not come. Our leaders are still emperors in pretentious democratic garbs”.
Merits of State Police
The following are considered by some schools of thought as the merits of establishing State Police Forces in Nigeria:
amongst other social vices in Nigeria.
as more people would be recruited into the State Police, in proportion to the population of each State.
corruption within the Police Force and the society (Chief Chekwas Okorie as quoted by Bulus, 2012).
hardly go to their States of origin to work, but go to other States which they consider to be lucrative to make money, even when they do not know the terrain of such States.
and imposition of Islam or other ideologies in some States.
central Federal Government.
- pings and militancy in the Southern part of Nigeria.
processes because of less loops, error percentage and you know your target (Mr Ekene Nwogbo quoted in Kehinde, 2013).
localise/confine criminal activities. Every State knows its peculiar problems and challenges.
because in community policing, every citizen knows the Police officer up to his pedigree and genealogy.
Demerits of State Police
The following are considered by some schools
“THERE IS THE CLEAR AND URGENT NEED, TO HAVE STATE POLICE. IT ACCORDS WITH COMMON SENSE, MODERN TRENDS AND TRUE FEDERALISM. WE COULD STILL HAVE A FEDERAL POLICE LIKE THE FBI, THAT DEALS WITH CROSS-BORDER CRIMES, HIGH PROFILE CRIMES, TREASONABLE AND DRUGS AND NARCOTICS MATTERS”