President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has made a passionate appeal for the establishment of state police.
Speaking at a national dialogue on Security and State Police, held in Abuja, Senator Akpabio declared that the mounting security challenges across the country have made the creation of State Police to complement Federal Police compelling.
The President of the Senate appealed to the gathering to ensure that the State Police departments are insulated from politics, religion, and ethnic extremism.
He said: “In working out modalities for the state police and the security of our nation, we must not forget that security is not a privilege, but a fundamental right of every Nigerian. It is our duty to ensure that this right is upheld, that justice is served, and that the rule of law prevails. We must build a security architecture that is robust, transparent, and accountable. If we are to set up state police departments, we must ensure that they are free from the shackles of politics, religious extremism, tribalism, and ethnicism. We must empower them to serve and protect, without fear or favour.
“As we consider this proposition, let us draw inspiration from the United States of America, a nation that has successfully implemented a system of state and federal policing. Let us learn from their experiences and adapt their models to suit our unique socio-political context. Let us ensure that our state police forces work in harmony with their federal counterparts, collaborating to fight crime, preserve peace, and safeguard our democracy. In the USA, the FBI, the federal police body enforces federal laws and the state police departments enforce state laws. The FBI also investigates inter-state crimes. We must draw the lines because to have functional state police we must have a strong federal police.”
Akpabio who shared strong reservations about abuse of State Police as instrument of witch-hunt asked his colleagues to cooperate in building a system that is fair, just, and equitable for all.
“But let us never forget that the power of the state police should never be used as a tool of oppression or witch-hunting. Let us ensure that political powers do not manipulate the state police to silence dissent or target their enemies. Let us ensure that the influential do not exert undue influence over the state police, and that justice is blind to wealth, power, politics, or status. Let us build a system that is fair, just, and equitable for all.
“Therefore, in this hallowed hall, let us embrace this dialogue as an opportunity for unity, understanding, and collaboration. Let us rise above our differences and work towards a common goal – a safer and more secure Nigeria. Let us use our collective efforts to build a nation that can withstand the challenges that lie ahead, a nation that can combat the monster of insecurity that currently threatens our collective well-being.“
