The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) says President Bola Tinubu’s support for state police marks a bold step towards reengineering Nigeria’s internal security framework.
In a statement signed by chairman Emeka Nwankpa and secretary Dapo Okubanjo, the group said the move aligns with the president’s long-standing stance on decentralised policing.
“We are aware that the first attempt in recent years to create a legal framework for the establishment of state police was in 2018 when the then Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, sponsored the bill.”
“Even though Ekweremadu was the chairman of the National Assembly’s Constitution Review Committee, the move failed. He also made another effort in 2020, but it did not see the light of day.”
TMSG noted that the momentum now appears different with Mr Tinubu’s public endorsement coming as both chambers of the National Assembly work on a bill for state police.
“We see the President’s position as a clear message to federal lawmakers who are due to resume plenary in a few weeks to speed up the process of presenting a bill that will amend section 214 of the 1999 constitution, which exclusively provides for a federal policing system.”
“It is also a reflection of President Tinubu’s long-standing advocacy for state police as a panacea to insecurity in the country, as well as addressing local policing needs.”
“We acknowledge that this is the first time a sitting President would publicly declare his backing for state police.”
TMSG highlighted how past leaders only voiced support after leaving office, unlike Mr Tinubu, who is pushing the reform during his tenure.
“It was after former President Goodluck Jonathan left office that he began his advocacy for a decentralised policing system, while former Muhammadu Buhari famously declared in a rare TV interview in 2022 that state police was not an option to address the country’s security challenges.”
“Former President Buhari’s opposition was based on the same fears that many Nigerians had expressed about the overbearing influence of state governments and the possibility of abuse.”
The group expressed confidence that Mr Tinubu will implement mechanisms to prevent abuse or politicisation of state police by governors.
“There are already indications that the federal government may be working on safeguards against possible misuse of state police by putting the process under the control of a central body to ensure a unified standard.”
“So it is not likely that the state police that the president envisages will be one that will be exclusively under the control of governors.”
“This is why the president was emphatic that while political concerns will always surface around the issue, they must not be allowed to derail urgent security reforms.”
The group believes that the state police option would meet its objectives, ending up as one of the far-reaching legacies of the Tinubu administration.
(NAN)
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