We’re Not Ripe for State Police – Arase, Abba

Matilda Omonaiye/

 

Two former Inspectors-General of Police (IGP) have warned Nigerians not to push for state police now.

Retired IGP, Mr Suleiman Abba and his successor, Mr Solomon Arase, argue that giving the nation’s complexities, it is unwise to toy with the idea of a state police now.

Abba said that those calling for the state police option were only aiming at escalating the nation’s security challenges.

Arase said there was nothing wrong with the idea of state police, adding that most state governments were not matured for its take-off.

Abba, who addressed journalists in Abuja after he picked his nomination and expression of interest forms for Jigawa Central Senatorial District, said the call for state police at this time of the nation was not realistic.

Abba said he was in the race to bring quality representation for his constituents and contribute meaningfully to national development.

Asked whether the country was set for the state police, he said, “I have a feeling and I don’t hide it, that some people are looking for an opportunity to compound the security challenges of this country.

“I have nothing against state police like I said, having recommended it far back even when it was not a serious issue in this country.

“It looks like some people are looking for what they can use to compound the security situation in this country.

“Maybe we can continue to fine-tune it, but I am not sure this is the right time.

“While I was at NIPSS in 2009, I was assigned to conduct research on discipline in the Nigeria Police.

“During the period, and looking at the performance of the police based on the research, I realized that there was the need to take another look at the structure of the police.

“In that research which is there for anybody to refer to, I recommended local government police.

“So, you can see that I have nothing against state police.

“I have had the opportunity of serving in all geopolitical zones of the country and have a fair knowledge of the country.

“From what we see, state governments passing through with the payment of salaries and pensions as well as taking care of qualitative education for our children, considering the fact that policing is a very expensive business; you need to cost a helmet for the police, talk less of the protective jacket. These are very expensive gadgets.

“Gadgets for monitoring are very expensive and if the states cannot pay salaries and take care of other socio-economic aspects of the people, why are they looking forwarding to shouldering this responsibility?”

On the recent siege at the National Assembly and the residences of NASS principal officers, the former police boss said, “Let me say that in all the cases you mentioned, investigations are being conducted and some forms of punishment have been meted out on those involved.”

On the refusal of the current IGP Ibrahim Idris to appear before the Senate when invited, Abba said, “I will advise the IGP to respond to summon by the National Assembly. I don’t think that in any situation, there is a better person to defend you than yourself.

“Of course, we have lawyers who represent the interest of their clients. But, my personal belief is that your personal defence is always better. As IGP, I always appear before the Senate when they needed me. Even at a time when everybody thought differently, I appeared before a committee of the Senate to make a clear presentation.”

Speaking in similar vein, Arase said that the nation’s present political system would not allow such a novel idea of state police to flourish.

He stressed the need for a legal and policy framework for a strategic partnership that would assign roles and responsibilities between state and non-state actors.

He spoke at Okada, in Ovia North East Local Government of Edo State, during the 84th birthday lecture of Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion.

Arase said: “For us to overcome this, security agencies should know what their roles are and share information with each other as one agency can’t do it alone without collaborative effort from other agencies.

“Government alone can’t do it. There is supposed to be private sector participation just as Chief Gabriel Igbinedion has done in his many spheres of intervention. Security is not just about policing, but an economic and social intervention to curb crimes. Both government and private sector should come together to ensure security.”

The former police boss pointed out that successive governments had attempted enacting laws targeted at guaranteeing national security, crime prevention and crime control.

Arase, therefore, urged the police to improve on community policing through winning the peoples trust, “because the police all over the world cannot do their job well without winning the trust of the people that will help them in fighting crime”.

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