Legal practitioner Frank Tietie says Nigeria has reached the point where state police is no longer optional but an unavoidable reform, warning that the country cannot continue operating a colonial-era policing structure in the face of worsening insecurity.
Speaking during an interview with ARISE News on Saturday, Tietie said the political consensus already built around the initiative shows the country is finally ready to decentralise policing.
“What we have come to realise is the inevitability of state police, and the unanimous voices of both the National Assembly and the government now agreeing that the time for state police has come — finally,”he said,
“Not because it will magically end insecurity, but because we are still operating a police system handed over by colonial masters. Sixty years later, we haven’t made much change.”
Tietie argued that decentralising policing will ensure governors are held accountable for security outcomes in their states.
“It is just the right thing to do to hold the governor responsible, so he doesn’t give the excuse that he is only the Chief Security Officer but has no operational command,” he said.
“One wonders what else governance is without security. Every other thing in governance rises and falls on security.”
He explained that despite state assemblies already endorsing the proposal, the constitutional amendment must still follow due process.
“It involves constitutional amendments — the sixth alteration. Even if the National Assembly and all states have voted, there must be compilation of what has been harmonised and sent back to the states for concurrence, with at least two-thirds approving,”he said.
Reacting to calls for amnesty for bandits, Tietie said the policy worked in the Niger Delta because the crisis was localised, unlike the present situation.
“The use of amnesty as a policy was successful with Niger Delta militants. But what we have in the North-East is insurgents undermining Nigeria’s sovereignty, while in the North-West we have foreigners involved in banditry and kidnapping,” he said.
“It will be very difficult to apply amnesty because these are foreign invaders with Nigerian collaborators.”
He added that intelligence reports confirm many non-Nigerians are involved in the violence.
“From interviews and intelligence shared, we know these elements include persons brought in as mercenaries to destabilise the 2015 status quo, and others from destabilised war zones like Libya,”he said.
Tietie said the government must “cut off all supply chains of small arms and light weapons” and identify those directing the criminal networks.
Responding to fears of possible abuse by governors, the lawyer dismissed the concerns.
“Those fears are highly unfounded. I don’t expect that elected officials will not be responsible,” he said.
“We already have the Police Service Commission at the federal level for discipline. Nothing stops states from having their own Police Service Commissions.”
He added that political leaders cannot afford to misuse a system they might later be subjected to.
“You don’t stay in government forever. If you abuse the police today, tomorrow it could be your turn,” he said.
“The people must be directly involved in policing. I am very hopeful that state police will be a game changer in ensuring a secure Nigeria.”
Boluwatife Enome
About the Author
