By James Orji
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state has warned against the creation of state police because it is capable of destroying the country.
The Borno state helmsman made the assertion amidst call by some prominent Nigerians, particularly from the Southern part of the country for the police force which is currently under the control of the federal government to be decentralized.
The proponents of state police argue that the Constitution should be amended to remove the Police Force from the Exclusive legislative list to give state government powers to establish their own police.
Some state governments have created what has been largely described as quasi-police forces. These include Hisbah Police in the northern part of the country, Neighborhood watch in Lagos state, created to tackle the security challenges in the states.
An indication that the proponents of state police are winning, analysts said came in July when a bill seeking to establish state police passed second reading at Nigeria’s House of Representatives. The bill was sponsored by Onofiok Luke, lawmaker from Akwa Ibom state.
Speaking on the issue, Governor Zulum said the issue of state police has been politicised, adding that decentralising the police force will worsen the security challenges in the country.
Zulum who spoke during a lecture at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru, Plateau state said the country is not matured enough for state police, noting that governors will use it for their own selfish ends.
He said governors are likely to use state police to harass political opponents and peoples of other tribes.
Governor “Babagana Zulum, will not support it, not because I don’t like it, but because of the implications.
“Nigeria is not mature for state police. Some state governors can use it to wipe away other tribes apart from their tribes. So, we have to be very careful. If half of the power given to the Nigeria army, police and others are given to state police, Nigeria will be in problem.”
