Security crises: More states back State Police
No fewer than 16 state governors have submitted reports expressing their desires and support for the establishment state police.
Media reports confirmed that the National Economic Council has continued to receive reports from more state governors on the establishment of state police and forest guards.
But Mr Stanley Nkwocha, Spokesperson for the Vice President, has expressed confidence that the remaining 20 states would submit their reports and support by the time NEC reconvenes for its 141st meeting on the 18th of April, 2024, adding that “the compilation is still going on”.
As at Monday, 1st April, 2024, at least 10 states had started the process of deploying forest guards to protect farmers and flush out bandits.
In February, The Federal and states Governments had agreed to recruit forest rangers and invest in more training.
Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting between state governors and President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, said the move was to “keep our forests and our borders safe”.
The Secretary of National Economic Council, Mr Nebeolisa Anako, also affirmed that more states are submitting reports.
On February 16, the Federal and state governments resolved to develop modalities to create state police to tackle the country’s security crisis.
At President Tinubu’s meeting with the governors last February, Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, said, “The Federal Government and the state governments are mulling the possibility of setting up state police,” said Idris, adding that “this is still going to be further discussed.”
He explained, “A lot of work must be done in that direction. But if our government and the state governments agree to the necessity of having state police, this is a significant shift.”
“Like I said, more work needs to be done in that direction. A lot of meetings will have to happen between the Federal Government and sub-nationals to see the modalities of achieving this,” Idris noted.
On February 20, 2024, a bill proposing the creation of state police successfully passed the second reading in the House of Representatives.
The legislation titled, ‘A bill for an Act to alter the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to provide for the establishment of State Police and related matters,’ was slated for a second reading before the end of this week.
Backed by 13 House members, the bill gained the majority’s favour in the Green Chamber, with many lawmakers arguing that the security challenges take preeminence over concerns about political victimisation by state governors.
Weeks earlier, the Presidency noted that although the President had given his nod for the creation of state police outfits and forest guards, governors would ultimately determine the success of both moves.
Speaking exclusively with our correspondent on the issue, a presidency official who did not want to be named said, “The President told the state governors to discuss it further at the state level.
“A committee was set up for that. We have not heard from the committee yet. Don’t also forget that simultaneously, the national assembly is considering inserting state policing in the constitution. So, there is a consensus around state policing.
“As for the forest guards, work is going on with it. There are existing forest guards in several states, but they are under the states’ ministries of agriculture. The goal now is to strengthen their capacity by arming them properly and recruiting more people.
“Still, it all falls in the hands of states to strengthen the forest guards. That is where we are now.”
NEC was established by the provisions of section 153(1) and Paragraphs 18 & 19 of part I of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Its membership comprises the 36 state governors, the Governor of the Central Bank, and other co-opted government officials.
The Council, which is Chaired by the Vice President, meets every month to exercise its mandate of “advising the President concerning the economic affairs of the Federation, and in particular on measures necessary for the coordination of the economic planning efforts or economic programmes of the various Governments of the Federation.”