In 2009, this writer had the opportunity to travel to Atlanta, in the United States of America, en route to Haiti as part of an official team that represented the Inspector-General of Police, Sir Mike Mbama Okiro, to supervise the Nigeria Police contingent on a United Nations-sponsored peacekeeping programme.
As we moved round the airport, we observed the police there were well-kitted with their walkie-talkie handsets, each watching us (myself, Lawan Jimeta and Patrick Akpambu).
The state of Atlanta has its own police like other states and cities in America, and they were constitutionally empowered and known as Atlanta Police.
Two of the police officers were standing beside their clean official sports car, unlike what we have in Nigeria where police operate with “push-and-start” pick-up vans.
We noticed the same situation in Haiti. We saw state police system in operation, and this had been in existence since it was established in 1823 in the USA and virtually every state in America has an established state police system. Presently, it is operational in many countries across the world. It simplifies security administration and operations.
No wonder, former head of state Gen. Ibrahim Babangida disagreed with opponents of the system when, in a television interview with Channels Television, he said, “I don’t think the incumbent governors can use state police to intimidate anybody. Honestly, the fear is unfounded.”
The former military leader also threw his weight behind calls for the establishment of state police, arguing that the fears being entertained in certain quarters over the creation of state police were unfounded.
“Left to me, the whole essence of governance is to provide adequate security for the people and, in whatever way this is achieved, it is acceptable. I don’t think what happened in the 1950s should continue to haunt us. We should try to move on.
“When we were there, we established the National Guard that was so vilified and was later dropped. Why should we think that what happened in the ’50s when the regional police were used to intimidate members of the opposition political parties will continue to happen under the present dispensation?”
More interesting, is the campaign manifesto of the 2022 presidential election, the APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, agreed before the northern elders in Kaduna for the establishment of state police.
Indeed, many Nigerians, governors and civil society organisations have repeatedly called for the establishment of state police to nip insecurity in the bud.
At the event, Tinubu reiterated his earlier position on state policing, when he assured the northern leaders that he intends to use the state police, if elected, to tackle insecurity. He noted that state police could only be achieved through a constitution amendment that would require the collective support of all stakeholders, including the National Assembly and socioeconomic organisations.
Similarly, before election into office, the previous administration had expressed its desire to establish the state police system. According to a report in The Punch newspaper, former Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, at an official engagement in Abuja, had reiterated calls for state police. Osinbajo, again, called for the establishment of state police as one of the ways of solving insecurity in the country. The question is, why are Nigeria leaders shying away from establishing this world-tested security policy? Simple. They know how to rightly articulate ideas to capture the sensibility of the electorate, but lack the political willpower to implement these ideas.
Unfortunately, many of such great ideas and policies have been swept under the carpet of history, to the overall detriment of Nigerians. It is believed that had Babangida, who ruled between 1985 and 1993, taken the bold step, he would have established the state police system without any legislative hitches. Unfortunately, the same hiccup that retards national development played out.
Today, the country is still licking its self-inflicted wounds in the hands of Nigeria’s home-brewed terrorist group, Boko Haram. If there were state police in Borno State when Mohammed Yusuf, the Islamic leader, was assembling unemployed Muslim youths and indoctrinating them, the state police would have uncovered their nefarious plans and nipped it in the bud before it actualised its objective. Today, over a million innocent Nigerians have lost their lives due to abscence of political willpower by political leaders to do the right thing in the overall interest of the country. The ball is now in the court of President Tinubu to play and make history.
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Security Hints
Tips on how to identify fake policemen at a glance
Here are safety guides on how to easily identify fake police and raise security-consciousness, sequel to the spate of insecurity in the country.
1. The number tag of a real policeman MUST be six digits, less or more than six is fake.
2. Only female police officers have their numbers begin with “0” any policeman with number beginning with “0” is fake.
3. Every policeman’s name tag is woven to the shirt, no more removable name tags.
4. A distinction between the normal policeman and the SPY (supernumerary) police personnel is that SPY number MUST be either three (3) or four (4) digits with the word “SPY” boldly inscribed on their uniform shoulder.
Please, at night, be vigilant.
Always roll up your car windows when in traffic. Always central-lock your car doors. Be very sure that they are true policemen.
If they are not, be courageous and speed off. Never get frightened. Be very vigilant.
– By Major General Obi Umahi, former GOC, 81 Division, Lagos
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Security File wishes to congratulate CP Ben Igwe and others who recently graduated from the prestigious elite security institution, the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS). May your newly acquired knowledge be a blessing to both your agencies and the country.