25th January, 2018
Mr Benjamin Adanyi, the Majority Leader, Benue House of Assembly, on Thursday moved a motion calling for the inclusion of provisions for state police in the ongoing constitution amendment.
Moving a motion on the floor of the house in Makurdi, Adanyi (APC-Makurdi South), urged his counterparts at the National Assembly to push for it.
He said that providing for the existence of state, municipal or provincial police force would ensure internal security.
He said that reference to state governors as Chief Security Officers was just an honorary title since they do participate in the internal security architecture of their respective states.
He, however, noted that governors had continued to commit enormous resources toward maintaining police commands within their jurisdictions.
He said that assistance to the police was to enable them to procure operational vehicles and equipment as well as address other logistics issues.
According to him, developed and some developing nations have territorial, metropolitan, municipal or provincial police forces separate from the central police force.
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This, he said, was to ensure efficient and effective internal security.
Adanyi, therefore, urged Benue legislators to lobby their colleagues, to ensure the inclusion of provisions for the establishment of state police in the constitution amendment.
He also urged the 36 Houses of Assembly to prevail on the National Assembly lawmakers to support the inclusion of provisions for the creation of state police in the ongoing constitution amendment.
Mr Adam Okloho (PDP-Adoka/Ugboju), who supported the motion, said that the anti-open grazing law would be better enforced with the establishment of state police force.
In his contribution, Mr Audu Sule (PDP-Agatu), noted that state policing would enable the people know their security officers.