“The clamour for the creation of state police by state governors and civil society groups wouldn’t have been an issue in recent years had the centralized police not been involved in partisan politics.
“There is palpable fear that governors may hijack and convert state police into personal security outfits, using the force for intimidating political opponents and enemies of the state governments. The fear is now being played out at the center where police takes orders directly from the center to witchhunt the state governments in the opposition.
“The situation whereby state commissioners of police do not take orders from their various state governors (even on security issues that may require urgent attention) has resulted in conflicts and crises in some states. Mostly politically motivated, these conflicts happen in states controlled by the opposition. This, in turn, has widened the divide between the opposition and the ruling government. We have witnessed series of cases where the Nigerian Police Force and other security agencies acted by the dictates of the central government to the detriment of their host States.
“The disruption of #BringBackOurGirls# rally in May this year on the orders of the police, and the aborted ban of the group by the controversial AIG Joseph Mbu in Abuja, is one out of too many examples.
“The unending crisis at the Edo State House of Assembly resurfaced again on Saturday, 11th October, 2014, with allegations that an intelligence report of an impending attack on the State legislative quarters was ignored by the Edo State police commissioner. The Edo State Government had accused the police of withdrawing the few policemen on duty at the legislative quarters, giving maximum time for attacking on the APC lawmakers and their family members by suspected PDP-hired hoodlums. The desecration of the State High courts in Rivers and Ekiti states, coupled with attacks on a judge and court workers in Ekiti State last month by suspected thugs allegedly working on the orders of the governor-elect Ayodele Fayose, while the policemen deployed within the court premises looked away uninterested and unconcerned, is also another clear example of high-handedness by the security agencies.
“The 12-month reign of the controversial self-acclaimed Lion of Port Harcourt, AIG Joseph Mbu, as the Commissioner of Police Rivers State, witnessed series of political tension and upheavals for which the police were indicted for engaging in partisan politics in the state. There were similar cases in Nasarawa and Adamawa states.
“The police has been involved in partisan politics, with anarchy being unleashed on the political system, and the opposition is crying foul over the use of security agencies to settle political squabbles. Indeed, the security agencies have lost the trust of Nigerians who seek self-help. This is why supporters of the ruling and opposition parties clash so frequently, endangering our hard-earned democracy.
“When two elephants fight it is the ground that suffers. Such willful and nepotic interference from the center on the security issues is affecting the peace and economic activities in Nigerian states. People’s lives, well-being, properties and businesses are threatened. The need to insulate the police from partisan politics should be given urgent attention. State governors should not just be chief securty officers of their states on paper! They should have a say when it comes to security issues. The primary responsibility of the police all over the world is to protect lives and properties of all its citizens, not a selected few.
“To be in opposition government is not a crime. It is the fun of democracy. Republicans and Democrats in America are in the historical opposition, but the ruling Democratic Party does not line up state security apparatus to intimidate the opposition. The much-publicised Obama doctrine is working, and it is enough tool to weaken the opposition in America.
“The ruling Peoples Democratic Party does not need to line up state security apparatus to subdue the opposition. Doing that only gives the opposition an edge over the ruling government. Even when they don’t proffer reasonable alternatives or criticisms to government policies, they get all the attention, sympathy and popularity.
“My advice to the PDP’s Jonathan-led Federal Government is: Use your performance and silence them. The highest weapon for subduing the opposition in a democracy is performance.
“As the 2015 general elections approach, let’s not be carried away by campaign promises and provision of stomach infrastructure. Rather, let’s insist and focus more on manifestos and debates by these politicians. Those who convince us with realistic solutions for our hydra-headed problems should have our votes irrespective of sentiments.”
What is your own view on the decentralization of police, is Nigeria reasy for the establishment of state police?
source naij.com
posted by Maduka Tony