Speaking at the same event, former President Goodluck Jonathan said State police is the only solution to the security challenge facing the country.
He said: “We don’t need to debate whether we should have state police or not. I think it is already settled; there is no way to manage our internal security if the states do not have their police.” He said that the 2014 National Conference set up during his administration supported the creation of state police.
Jonathan noted that the country could not afford to toy with the idea of state police any longer.
“We must not waste our time debating whether we should have state police or not. We should concentrate on how to check abuses by state political actors. The key area that we need to debate is how we will run the state police to secure the security architecture of the country, so that it is most effective and devoid of any political influence,” he said.
He said the idea of establishing state police should have been concrete while he was in office as the President and Commander-in-Chief.
“If we are talking of state police, we must also rejig the Independent National Electoral Commission, so that the state police would not be used to favour the ruling party,” he said.
He said with state police, kidnapping and other criminalities would be reduced to the barest minimum.
“We have not been able to control the issue of kidnapping since it started, and we need to reduce it to the barest minimum,” he said.
Also, the Senate President, Godwsill Akpabio, said if the country must create a state police, they must be free from politics, religion and ethnicity.
Akpabio, who was represented by the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, said: “Today, we have the power to transform our security architecture and create a Nigeria where every citizen feels safe and protected, regardless of his or her status, religion, tribe, location or background.
“The concept of state police has been a topic of debate for many years. It is a complex issue with no easy answers. But, today, courtesy of the House of Representatives, we have the opportunity to engage in a national dialogue.
to listen to the voices of our fellow citizens, and to forge a path towards a more secure Nigeria.
Let us seize this opportunity with open hearts and open minds. Let us listen to one another, learn from one another, and work together to find common ground.”
He added: “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.”
Similarly, former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, while expressing support for state police, said there should be a role for traditional rulers in the constitution. Abubakar said this would enable them to play a role in ensuring security at the grassroots.
“Let us look into the roles of our royal fathers as we are discussing the role of state police,” he advised.