State police: Wetin e go take to reorganise police for Nigeria?

Security remain serious issue of concern for Nigeria, and recent occurrence of kidnapping, banditry and terrorist activities don lead to di call for establishment of State Police.

Wit 36 state govments and 774 local govments, Nigeria currently dey operate centralized policing system wit just ova 370,000 police officers wey dey secure di population of ova 250 million pipo.

Di call for State policing dey traced to plenti terrorist attacks, abduction of schoolchildren, destruction of security architectures across di country and oda insecurity challenges.

While di constitution of di Federal Republic of Nigeria say national security and issues of national defence na di exclusive authority of di federal govment, Nigerians don argue say State policing go bring security closer to di pipo.

Considering di argument wey surround State policing, members of di National Assembly sponsor act wey go adjust di constitution of di Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to provide for di establishment of State Police.

According to dis bill, dem wan adjust some sections of di Nigerian Constitution to provide for di establishment of State Police and importantly transfer di Police to di Concurrent Legislative List.

Howeva, dis bill don remain for di committee stage, despite call by different state govnors for di federal govment to allow dem handle dia own security issues witout interference.

Di latest of di recent call for decentralised policing structure na from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wey appeal to di National Assembly to amend di constitution to 'provide legal framework for di establishment of State Police to tackle insecurity nationwide.'

President Tinubu mention say di creation of State Police na now an urgent matter to address 'Nigeria evolving security challenges and strengthen grassroots policing' while e go also grant states di 'capacity to respond fast to threats within dia jurisdictions.'

"We dey face terrorism, banditry, and insurgency. But we go neva fail to make right response to dis cause."

"Wetin I go ask na for you (Senators) to start thinking how best to amend di constitution to incorporate di State Police for us to secure our country, take ova our forests from bad pipo, and free our children from fear," Tinubu tok.

Previously, Lagos State Govnor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu don join voices wit oda South-West Govnors to also advocate for State Police, say na all about protecting di pipo.

"State policing no be just about semantics, na about protecting di pipo," Sanwo-Olu tok during di Public Hearing on di Review of di 1999 Constitution for 2025.

Also, Northern Govnors don also lament dia inability to respond effectively to security challenges wia dem dey face threats, becos dem no get power to control security agencies within dia states.

In di last few months for Nigeria, bandits don raid villages, kidnap locals, burn down houses and force thousands of pipo to even run comot from dia homes and seek shelter for oda safer parts of di country.

Sadly, from di North to South to West and East, hundreds of pipo don lose dia lives across Nigeria sake of attacks on communities, and e be like say no end dey- despite say govment promise safety.

Wetin be di proposals bifor di National Assembly

Di bill bifor di National Assembly get aim to strengthen security command for Nigeria by decentralizing di police.

Dem wan change sections 197, 214, and 215 of di 1999 Constitution, wey go further redefine di powers, management, and control of di Nigeria Police Force.

If President sign am, di bill go lift di exclusive police control from di president and di Inspector-General of Police to allow for di creation of State Police, and grant state govments clear control ova security agencies under dia control, particularly di police.

Di proposal for di bill make provision for di establishment of both federal police and State Police, and to clearly forbid di Federal Police make dem no interfere wit di operations of di State police, wen dem create am.

For di same development, Clause 13 of di bill wan look into di appointment of di Inspector General of Police and Commissioner of Police of State by granting di legislature – both federal and state, di authority to approve dose appointments.

In terms of funding, di establishment of State Police alteration bill 2023, also point to sources of funding wey go dey available for di police, as e empower di Federal govment to provide aids for State police wit di approval of di National Assembly.

Tinubu get di political will to see dis through?

Inside di heat of all dis arguments, e get silent fear for di establishment of State Policing. Many don argue say di creation of State Police go put di control of di Police for di hands of state govnors, wey fit mismanage dem.

As e dey for di Nigeria Police Act, di general duties of di police na to detect and prevent crime, preserve law and order, and protect life and property.

Howeva, Nigerians dey divided ova di probability of overzealous state govnors to use di police to witch-hunt, and concerns about abuse of power.

E get di challenges wey dey face di existing Police framework wey include inadequate manpower, poor welfare, lack of equipment and infrastructure, and corruption.

Howeva, wit di recent appointment of IGP Olatunji Disu, one former Tinubu ADC as Nigeria Inspector-General of Police, sabi pipo don call for change of security strategy.

Detective Auwal Durimin Iya, a senior security consultant tell BBC say di new Police boss go implement new security strategy and change di current policing system – if e want to fight di existing challenges for im new office.

Nigeria govment under Tinubu administration don consistently promise improved security, but recent security threats and attacks put doubt on such promise.

Wit less dan 12 months to di 2027 Presidential election, di creation of State Police bill fit only dey actualised if di National Assembly place priority on am- considering say e still dey committee stage.

Di process through which dis bill to adjust di constitution go pass through no be easy one, na quite rigorous and time-consuming one. E go go through different stages and committees within di National Assembly.

Dis fit don make di president to call for di bill to dey considered by di National Assembly, to allow am go through di necessary stages bifor e get to presidential assent for am to dey enacted into law.

But weda Tinubu get di political will to see am through dey dependent on di National Assembly, and if e go dey for power by di time di bill process dey concluded.