Senator Faults Northern Governors On State Police

Fears expressed by Northern governors that the creation of state police could lead to the disintegration of the country has been described as unjustified.

The Senate Minority Whip, Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon, who stated this during an interview with Political Platform, said if anything, the establishment of state police rather than dismember the country, would strengthen its federal system.

Arguing that the country is long overdue for a state police, GOS, who represents Lagos West Senatorial District, asked: “Why should we espouse the concept of federalism when it is convenient for us and dismiss its inherent principles when it does not suit us?”

Listing the gains of state policing, the two-term senator posited: “We have tried all sorts of policing methods like the vigilante, neighbourhood watch, but all these have only achieved limited results. A critical appraisal of the present security situation shows that there is an urgent need to allow the governors have a firm control of their jurisdictions.

“And the best way to get this done, in my view, is the establishment of state police, which would understand and respond faster to security challenges in their areas. If we claim we are practising federalism, we should practise it through and through”.

Also responding to views that governors could abuse their powers with a state police under their control, Solomon said: “My answer to that is simple. We still have the armed forces which would remain under the firm control of the Federal Government and can respond to any uprising in any part of the country.”

—Yisa Jamiu