State Police: Lawmakers must guide against loopholes in Act crafting

Insecurity in Nigeria has become an albatross. As the menace of kidnapping, banditry, and terrorism continue to assume more stormy dimensions, the cries for localised security formation have widely become very exterpising as submissions to tackle the problems. In the South-west, such security response as ‘Amotekun’ is an offshoot of submissions for local security response to tackle insecurity from the grassroots. Although the security outfit in its formation process was widely contested from some parts of the Country, its operations after formation have recorded some  pragmatic efforts and coverage which have been recognised.

Over time the demands for State Police as a promising solution to the myriad of insecurity challenges have attracted no much political will, particularly on the part of the Federal Government, until recently.

However, as insecurity menace worsens recently, affecting all classes of the Nigerian society with more very important persons falling prey to the mischief of killings and kidnapping across the Country, efforts to create State Police is making headway. Recently, the House of Representatives passed for second reading, a bill to provide for the establishment of State Police in the Federation.

The bill, sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu and 14 others, seeks to alter the relevant Sections of the 1999 Constitution to pave the way for States to establish their own policing outfits. As lawmakers took turns to contribute to the debate on the floor of the House during  plenary recently, Kalu had urged members to look beyond political ambitions and think about the safety of Nigerians and Nigeria.

Arguing in support,  Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos) had said, “It is the job of the police to maintain law and order. We have a population of over 200 million people, but we have a police strength that is less than 400,000. State Police should be created to address the internal security challenges of Nigeria.”

President Tinubu had recently as part of the outcome of a meeting he held in company of Vice President Kashim Shettima with the 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, at the State House in Abuja, had informed the Governors that the Federal Government will work with them and the National Assembly towards putting in place a mechanism that will engender state police instead of the vigilantes that are being used in some states. This is just as it was disclosed that more police personnel are to be recruited to strengthen the force.

The President, according to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, charged the Governors to strengthen their Forest Rangers and arm them to keep all the forests safe from criminals, as modalities for State Police and addressing security issues are to be discussed further at the National Economic Council.

The security  situation in the Country right now demands nothing but elaborate efforts from all layers of Government for a comprehensive coverage of architecture to tackle the networks of insecurity menace in the Country. Hence, the necessity for a well crafted statutory provision for the formation of State Police is an act which situation demands.

However, it is pertinent for the lawmakers to give due diligence to the provisions that would inform the constituting of the Act for such formation. This is essential not to have a system of statutes wanting and lagging in provisions and ridden with loopholes  that would permit duplication of efforts or give chance to possible exploitation by State powers for selfish purposes against the thrust of general good. These, among others, are fears nurtured and argued over time against the subject of State Police in the Federation. Hence, as the lawmakers proceed in their hearings and legislative processes, it behooves them to take care of all such issues that may give rise to errors of provision poised to create a deficient system, capable of generating more problems than solving existing ones.