Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has emphasized the urgent need for the establishment of state police as a crucial step towards addressing the prevailing insecurity across Nigeria. In a statement from his media office in Abuja on Monday, Bamidele described the current state of policing in the country as “ailing and dysfunctional.”
Highlighting the gravity of the security situation, Bamidele stated, “We must admit that the system can no longer guarantee the dignity of human lives and the security of collective assets considering our security dynamics in the Fourth Republic.” He further explained that the proposal for the creation of state police has been a subject of intense debate for over a decade, driven by the rise of armed attacks orchestrated by various interests with divisive or predatory agendas in different geopolitical zones.
Bamidele stressed that Nigeria, with its rapidly growing population, cannot continue to rely on a centralized policing system. He pointed out that the country’s current population of approximately 229 million people, making it the world’s sixth-largest nation according to United Nations demographic data, necessitates a reevaluation of the policing model. Comparing the police-citizen ratio in Nigeria, which currently stands at one police officer to 650 citizens, to the UN’s recommended minimum ratio of one to 460, Bamidele highlighted the need for a more efficient and decentralized approach.
The ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution provides an opportunity for stakeholders to thoroughly examine the nation’s security framework and take a position on the desirability of state police. Bamidele emphasized the importance of acknowledging the deficiencies in the current police system and the inability to ensure the security of human lives and collective assets. He asserted that the adoption of state police is inevitable to effectively counter the diverse security challenges facing the federation.
While the debate for a more efficient police model continues, Bamidele emphasized the need for the National Assembly to provide a legal framework with clearly defined preconditions for sub-national governments to establish their policing formations. He also emphasized the indispensable role of the 36 state Houses of Assembly in the adoption of a decentralized police system.
The bill for the establishment of state police is currently under consideration in the National Assembly. In February, the House of Representatives passed the bill for the second reading. Sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu and 14 others, the bill seeks to amend relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution to allow states to establish their own policing outfits.
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