Amid the call for state police to enhance security across Nigeria, the Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani has posited that the National Assembly holds the power to prevent governors from misusing the privilege.
Addressing reporters after the National Economic Council meeting in Abuja on Thursday, Governor Sani revealed that all 36 state governors have expressed overwhelming support for establishing state police.
He, however, noted that to alleviate fears of potential abuse of the security structure for political witch-hunts the National Assembly needs to be up to the task to prevent misuse.
Also, Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Governor Sani argued that the framework for state police could be designed to mitigate risks of misuse.
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“The issue of whether governors will use them (state police) against their opponents is something that can only happen if the National Assembly and those people that will craft the law give the state police all the powers to do that,” he stated.
He added that careful lawmaking, with a focus on the advantages and disadvantages of various clauses, could prevent governors from wielding undue influence over the state police.
Governor Sani also detailed the potential benefits of state police in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.
He noted that decentralized policing could improve intelligence gathering and sharing, as operatives would have better knowledge of local communities and terrains.
On concerns about funding state police, the governor explained that state governments already allocate substantial resources to support federal police operations, suggesting that financial sustainability would not be an issue.
Governor Sani noted the critical roles of state houses of assembly in the legislative process, asserting that their input is essential for the seamless establishment of state police.
He emphasized that the positions of state governors and legislative bodies must align to make the initiative a reality.
The governor further noted that if state police had been operational for the past three years, many states would likely have seen significant improvements in security, reducing disruptions to business activities and daily life.
