Obinoscopy:

Mr HNosegbe, If I got you right, you are advocating for both state police and a federal police structure with each having their roles well defined. Please if I may ask whoose responsibility will it be to fund the state police? Is it the FG via the monthly allocations or the state govt via their internally generated revenue?

HNosegbe:

Obinoscopy:
: Some people would opine that a non-native police officer can also learn the ethos, norms and values and adapt to his posting environment.

That may be true, but the question is: Over what period of time? I don't know about you, but I can't estimate how long it will take a Bassey Ekpeyong from Akwa Ibom state to adapt if he is posted to Hadejia in Jigawa state or Biu in Borno state. How long will it take him to understand the terrain, the culture, the way of life and the best areas and avenues to patrol in keeping the community safe and miscreants at bay? "Pretty long time" would be my best guess.

eGuerrilla: @Deepsight,
The central plank of your argument for the introduction of police forces at state level is predicated on "our cultural and linguistic differences".
Why do you think the outcomes derived from the Nigerian experiment are so different from Tanzania's?

Katsumoto: Question for HNosegbe

In continuation of my previous question to Deepsight, given the agitation for regionalism/secession in some regions, how do you prevent the State police forces in the same region from being used as a standing army? Either to check a sitting or president or to secede?

Sisi_Kill: TO ALL
Can you please define clearly your understanding of STATE POLICE? Do you define it by GEOGRAPHY or ETHNICITY?

To Deep Sight, you wrote - that are properly empowered to pursue an internal security policy unique and suitable to their culture, linguistics and ethnic as well as social identity.

Are you of the opinion that crime and punishment differ ethnically and culturally? That A Hausa man theft of goats is different from a Yoruba man's theft of the same thing? That how one person is punished should be different from another because of his tribe? And Security - How can that be made to order? I guess your use of the word UNIQUE and SUITABLE is throwing me off a little.

Katsumoto: Other Nairalanders may now post questions. Please review the questions that have already been asked and answered.

JaaizTech:

@HNosegbe; contrary to your assertion, many of the police men found in their area of duty, usually understand the language and the culture of the people in that area. Obasanjo is a practical example, He can speak Hausa and Igbo quite well; because as a Military man He was posted all across the country, and He also has quite a number of children whose mothers belong to other tribes.

HNosegbe:

That may be true, but the question is: Over what period of time? I don't know about you, but I can't estimate how long it will take a Bassey Ekpeyong from Akwa Ibom state to adapt if he is posted to Hadejia in Jigawa state or Biu in Borno state. How long will it take him to understand the terrain, the culture, the way of life and the best areas and avenues to patrol in keeping the community safe and miscreants at bay? "Pretty long time" would be my best guess.

eGuerrilla: @JaaizTech,

Would your fears be assuaged by a state police force which is representative of a state's ethnic makeup?

HNosegbe:

Sorry for my late response... I am currently typing from a cyber cafe and I have connection issues here.

Again the issue you have highlighted can be addressed by retaining federal police bureau offices in every state, and embodying checks into the laws that can enable the president to declare a state of emergency should the situation you envisage (i.e an outright declaration of secession) ever occur.

Sisi_Kill: TO ALL
Can you please define clearly your understanding of STATE POLICE? Do you define it by GEOGRAPHY or ETHNICITY?

To Deep Sight, you wrote - that are properly empowered to pursue an internal security policy unique and suitable to their culture, linguistics and ethnic as well as social identity.

Are you of the opinion that crime and punishment differ ethnically and culturally? That A Hausa man theft of goats is different from a Yoruba man's theft of the same thing? That how one person is punished should be different from another because of his tribe? And Security - How can that be made to order? I guess your use of the word UNIQUE and SUITABLE is throwing me off a little.

HNosegbe:
"Biased" in what way exactly? I don't see the policeman acting as a judge in this case: Besides policemen do not take up cases, they are ASSIGNED cases.

Katsumoto: DeepSight
Given that the central plank of your argument rests on the inappropriateness of the political structure in Nigeria (Centralist Vs. True federalism), how do you hope to implement State Police within the current structure without introducing significant additional problems?

Deep Sight:

I say this because regional/ state policing is not a new animal or a strange concept in Federal Democracies across the world and there are well established protocols to be borrowed from if necessary (just as we borrowed our entire presidential system from the United States) in terms of setting clear distinctions of the jurisdictional competence of respective law enforcement agencies. Now this is with respective to legal issues alone: and I say straight away that this is a matter which can be very easily set forth in terms of the enabling laws for regional policing in the first place.

In the United States, although every state has its own Police force, there remains the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and there are clear protocols and regulations governing the jurisdictional competence of the Federal Law Enforcement as well as those of the regions.

Nevertheless, I must point out that the core of this particular objection is not legal; it is rather political: namely the fear the rival politicians may utilize their police forces as instruments of intimidation and coercion against political enemies.

In response to this, I say that a proper legal framework is sufficient to deal with this. All that is required is that the respective regional police forces are sufficiently insulated from individual political control through the establishment of a process for Police appointments and Disengagements through the Police Service Commission, which may be appointed, say, by the House of Assembly of State and the Judicial Service Commission.

This, I must point out, is critical, regardless of whether State Police is implemented or not: there remains a necessity to insulate the Police from Individual Political control in the same way as the INEC, the EFCC, and the CBN should be isolated from individual political control to prevent abuse of power.

As such, in re-evolving regional policing in Nigeria, only a little thinking is required to deal with the possibility of conflict and abuse of powers.

Sisi_Kill:
If Bassey Ekpeyong from Akwa Ibom grew up in Jigawa state, can he get into the Jigawa Police force? If yes, what problems do you foresee him encountering, if no. . .why?

Deep Sight:

Again: for example, in the USA, the Death Penalty does not operate in all states. This has ramifications for the training of a Police Officer in terms of dealing with a potential escappee who may have committed a capital offence.

Katsumoto:

Are you suggesting that the president move troops into such a region? Wouldn't lead to an escalation of hostilities? You have to remember that the police may not be as armed as the army but they will be able to mount some resistance which may lead to loss of life and destruction of property.

HNosegbe:

If a state can fund its governor with his retinue of aides, special advisers and assistants, why can't it fund its own policemen? Any state that says it cannot fund its own policemen is implying that it cannot perform its constitutional responsibilities, and does not deserve to be called a state.

Besides, if a state feels it cannot maintain a police service all by itself, it should seek to pool resources with neighbouring states by setting up a joint security fund, setting aside a portion of monthly allocations or even then security votes of the respective governors.

Obinoscopy:

Biased in the sense that he is selective while trying to enforce the law. Don't you think he might be selective on who he arrests and who he doesn't?

Katsumoto:

Are you suggesting that the president move troops into such a region? Wouldn't lead to an escalation of hostilities? You have to remember that the police may not be as armed as the army but they will be able to mount some resistance which may lead to loss of life and destruction of property.

Deep Sight:
@ All -

I 'd like to clarify that I do not agree with the position canvassed by Hnoseghbe in terms of indigeneship of Police Officers. I speak from a Constitutional and Historic point of view which makes it imperative that every Federating Unit must have its enforecement unit (Police) trained according to its laws and regulations, given that the practices and even laws in the Federating Units are not the same.

This, for me, is a matter of training and residence and does not invoke the indigene/ settler dichotomy.

Jarus: CHEDDARKING Is unavoidably absent but he sent his taped presentation:

By CHEDDARKING

On the 20th of October this year, Moses Osigwe walked into the Personal Residence of Aliyu Wammako.

Moses as Business Manager of the Gwiwa Business Unit of PHCN was invited by Mr Wammako to discuss the recent dips in power supply to Mr Wammako's Hometown.

Somwhere along the line, Mr Wammako brutally assaulted Moses with a Whip. Poor Moses was beaten Black and Blue, but Mr Wammako was not satisfied- He then instructed the POLICE detail assigned to him to further infict damage to Moses's battered body.

Poor Moses was crushed physically. Mentally. Emotionally.
His Crime? He was the Business Manager of the Gwiwa Business Unit of PHCN in a state where Mr Wammako was the GOVERNOR.

Say hello to State Sponsored Police Brutality with a Personal Twist. Say hello to State Police in Sokoto


On the 21st of January 2010, a team of armed policemen arrested Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha and whisked him off to the Imo State government house. On that day, the GOVERNOR of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim alias IKIRI, decided to personally flog Ikenna.
Right there in the governor's office, IKIRI backed by his POLICE goons, stripped Ikenna half-naked and flogged the Living Daylights out of Him. Forget the Passion of the Christ, this was a full-on, one-man-jungle-justice.

Ikenna was completely destroyed.

His Crime? Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha as an anti-corruption crusader was detailing and publishing IKIRI's systematic looting of Imo State's treasury!
Say Hello Boys and Girls...

This is State Sponsored Police Brutality with a VERY personal twist. My Friends this is the State Police in Imo.


September 20, 2012, an unnamed lady was stripped NAKED by officers of the OSUN STATE SPECIAL POLICE UNIT for a great crime against Humanity.

What was this crime? Only that most grevious crime against God and Man- That most unforgivable of Iniquities:
INDECENT DRESSING
She was dressed Indecently and as so she DESERVED to be exposed NAKED to the whole world.

Step right up folks! Come see for yourselves State Police in Osun State! Can I get an AMEN?

Nigeria is a country where Criminals like James Onanefe Ibori, Diepreye Alamieyesiegha, Lucky Igbinedion, Timipre Sylva, Peter Odili, Chimaroke Nnamani are listed as ex- State Governors.

Nigeria is a country where Schizophrenic Psycopaths like Wammako and Ikiri revel in State Power; Invincible, Untouchable, and of of course 'Un-Annoyable'

Nigeria is a country where State Governors like Rotimi Amaechi, Godswill Ukpabio, and Danbaba Suntai purchase Private Jets with State Funds

Nigeria is a country where Men like Chief Lamidi Adedibu(RIP) backed by his army of NURTW thugs could walk into the House of Assemble and SEIZE the very symbol of Government Authority- the Mace. With IMPUNITY.

I'm not even going to argue against State Police:

I ask YOU esteemed Nairalanders: DO YOU WANT TO THE GIVE THESE MEN MORE POWER?

I ask YOU ALL - ARE WE READY FOR STATE POLICE?

Thank You.

HNosegbe:

Just to clarify, it is not my intention to limit the recruitment of state policemen to those who originate from such state, and that's why, in my response to Sisi_Kill I said that if a Bassey Ekpeyong is born and bred in Jigawa state and understands the culture of the terrain, he can become a policeman in Jigawa state.

Deep Sight:
@ All -

I 'd like to clarify that I do not agree with the position canvassed by Hnoseghbe in terms of indigeneship of Police Officers. I speak from a Constitutional and Historic point of view which makes it imperative that every Federating Unit must have its enforecement unit (Police) trained according to its laws and regulations, given that the practices and even laws in the Federating Units are not the same.

This, for me, is a matter of training and residence and does not invoke the indigene/ settler dichotomy.

Sisi_Kill:


This is why I would like the participants to express clearly their definition of State Police.