KANGAROO CHIEF SECURITY OFFICERS
KANGAROO CHIEF SECURITY OFFICERS
By:
Nurudeen Dauda
13th December, 2024
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In my thought, the present system which referred our states governors as chief security officers of their respective states only does that in "theory", but in "reality" they are chief "lamentors" of their respective states as far as the security issue is concern. The power given to them by the constitution is a mere "ceremonial" power.
The appointments or removals, or redeployments, and or controls of the commissioners of Police (CPs) posted to states are done by Mr president through the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and not the governors. The CPs receive "order" from the IGP on behalf of the Commander -In- Chief. In many occasions our handicap as well as frustrated states chief security officers often resorts to asking their armless and defenceless citizens to be "brave" or to armed themselves and or to resist any kind of "humiliation" from the well armed terrorists or bandits and or kidnappers. Please ! Forgive me to add that our governors are also now chiefs in condolences in their respective states. What a sad situation!
Internal security is the primary responsibility of the "Police" everywhere in the world; our major insecurity challenge in the country now is Internal security which has been moving from "bad" to "worse" . As at now, all security matters in Nigeria are the exclusive powers of the Federal government.There is no gainsaying the fact that the present highly centralized policing system has a lot of challenges. We must find a workable Policing system in the country . The present system needed much to be desired. For us to get it right something must be done urgently.
The present system was handed over to us by the military. The challenges of the system made it possible for the "military" whose primary assignment is on "External" security to take over our Internal security matters. This has made the "Military" overstretched.
There is usually a "blame game" and or "scapegoatism" between states and the Federal government on who is to account or to be held responsible for the escalation of insecurity in states. Anytime the situation escalates tempers are usually very high; it is high we have a system that will give us the opportunity to clearly know whom to hold responsible or to be held accountable.
It is sad to note that any suggestion for its change to either State Police and or a Hybrid Police as it was practiced in the past is often being resisted by some Nigerians. Albert Einstein states that: "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results".
It is apt to remain ourselves that in the First Republic (1960-1966) we had had namely: (1) The Federal Police, (2) The Regional Police, and (3) The Native Authority (NA) Police in the North and Local Government Authority (LGA) Police in the West etc.
Opinions are sharply divided among Nigerians from all the geo-political zones of the country. My major concern is for a system that works for the majority not the tiny minority that its works for now; we are after an effective system for the protection of the lives and property of our citizens. In my view , if decentralized policing system will protect the lives and property of our citizens; easy access to our farmlands and transact our businesses safely I would prefer system . Enough of the insinuation for oppression of political opponents; no one would be a governor for ever! Our present system does not protect our lives and property which is our uppermost neither does it allow us access to our farmers, and businesses safely which are necessary for our survival.
There is the argument that Nigerians may not freely stay in all parts of the country as provided by the constitution if the policing system is decentralized. This argument does not consider the fact that as Nigerians we have been living in other countries as workers or students and or as businessmen. We have had a Hybrid policing system in the First Republic where as Nigerians we lived in different parts of the country.
The title of chief security officers given to the governors In the present system is due to the mere fact that they chair security councils' meetings of their respective states which is made up of some relevant security heads in the state; such as: General Officer Commanding (GOC); Commissioner of Police, (CP); The Director General State Security Service (DSS), and all other relevant security agencies in their respective states which are not even appointed and controlled by them.
In the present system the commissioners of Police often defy lawful orders of their supposed state security chiefs. There are several cases where the chiefs accused their commissioners of Police (CPs) for bias. There are so many cases where states governors had a running proxy war battle with the CPs of their states.
In my suggestion, since opinions are divided let us have a "Hybrid" policing system where the centralized policing system under the Federal Government remains and then allow any state and local government that could afford it to establish its own "State Police" or Local government Police. This should be made optional among states and local governmens. The Federal Police should continue to operate alongside the State Police force and or local governmens Police that may be established by those states and local governmens that could afford it.
This means "Police matters" should be in the "concurrent legislative list" where the Federal, states and even the local governments should have powers on. This approach will go along way in increasing the number of personnel that we badly need to Police the large swathes of our ungoverned territory , but sadly lack.
May God bless Nigeria