Security Challenges and the Imperatives of State Police

Abstract

Arguments for and against the establishment of State Police Force have been going on for quite some time now. Proponents of state police argued that this was a consistent with the principle of true federalism and decentralization of powers and that the arrangement would enable the states to effectively maintain law and order especially during emergencies. They criticized section 215(4) of the 1999 Constitution for hindering governors from the exercise of his power as Chief Security Officer of the state. Opponents of state police hinged their theses on the fear of the abuse to which State Governor may subject the police. The fears include those of harassment and intimidation of politics opponents and perpetration of electoral fraud. This paper seeks to explore the major imperatives for the establishment of State Police Force. To achieve this objective, the essay discusses the major theses the opponents and proponents of State Police Force, the limitations of their arguments. It however agrees that there is to need for reorientation; reorganization and repositioning of the Nigeria Police Force to enable it meet the requirements of public order, public safety and democratic governance. Introduction It is a truism that the recent phenomenal wave of political assassination, murders, armed banditry, kidnapping and general eruption of insecurity in Nigeria has put both the government and the populace on the edge. There is hardly a day that passes without sorry tales of pre-meditated killings, armed robbery and other crimes and attacks nationwide.