Eben Enasco Reporting.
A female Antelope was running like a mad woman and a standby elephant watched and asked her: “Antelope, why are you running like that?”
She replied, “The police are arresting all the goats in the village.”
And the elephant retorted: “But you are not a goat!”
The antelope replied, “With our current justice system and governors flouting the court rulings it will take me 20 years to prove that I am not a goat.” And the elephant also started running.
This has become the situation with our Country’s Institutional values and it will do us good not to think about having local police established.
The debate surrounding the establishment of state police to curb petty criminality in our neighbourhood occasioned by the influx of strangers into locality spaces has been ongoing for years.
Proponents have argued that it would enhance security, promote community policing, and reduce the burden on federal authorities.
However, critics have continued to raise concerns about potential political interference and abuse of power.
Given the level of disregard for court rulings by politicians in power, it will be extremely difficult to get justice for suspected crime perpetrators.
There is a significant risk that state police could be used for political purposes or by powerful individuals for their own benefit, undermining their ability to serve impartially.
Recall that when established, the State Police would be funded by the state and it will be a case of who pays the piper dictate the tune.
Unarguably we have seen where politicians have violated the superior rule of law using the conventional police formation to exhibit their desires.
In the last governorship election in Edo State, the Inspector General Of Police Deployed 35000 officers for a just one day election.
Now think about a sitting governor who could not perform to expectation and wants to return after just a tenure.
He first interest would always be to work out modalities to get him to win whatever election for a second tenure.
Those he may likely resolve to use are the local security outfits to easily intimidate opposition and anyone who refuses to support his ambition.
Beside this, we have witnessed how local security operatives at various check points have become very corrupt on high ways.
They beg like local puppies for financial support, showing a clear example of what they will become if granted independence.
Governors will use state police as a tool for political leverage, rather than allowing them to function independently and impartially.
Most governors would eventually turn local state police commissioners and local government Chairmen the Divisional Police Officers, DPOs, particularly during election periods.
Without strong federal oversight, state police forces may develop inconsistent operational standards or become more susceptible to corruption, further eroding public trust.
Every successive administration automatically becomes the chief security officer in his State.
The effectiveness of state police depends on the specific constitutional framework and the ability to ensure professional integrity and accountability.
By having a more localized approach to law enforcement, state police could better understand and address specific security challenges within their jurisdictions.
Although, State police would be more accountable to the communities they serve, fostering trust and cooperation between law enforcement and citizens.
Forest guards of ethnic descent who are more familiar with the terrain should be equipped to monitor strange occupants of the forests to accelerate security checks.
The establishment of state police holds promise for improving security and governance in Nigeria.
However, its success hinges on addressing the concerns about political interference and ensuring that the system operates with integrity and accountability.
