President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said state police would be abused by governors and the Nigerian polity is not ripe for the policy. He disagreed with the position of the NBA on the urgent need to create state police in addressing the nation’s security challenges, saying if abused by the governors it could worsen the security situation in the country.

Speaking while declaring open the 52nd NBA annual national conference, President Jonathan said he had consulted widely with the Council of State and had been advised not to implement the idea of state police.

Jonathan further noted that there was a time the Nigeria police had come up with the policy of posting police officers from the rank of inspector downwards to their states of origin, but instead of improving the situation, that policy worsened the security situation in the country.

The president, who lamented that his critics failed to understand that the challenges the country was facing had been there before he came in vowed to prove critics of his administration wrong by 2013 when the dividends of new policies introduced in various sectors begin to manifest.

The president also described himself as the most criticised president in the world.

He told the gathering: “I think I am the most criticised president in the whole world, but I tell this noble audience that before I leave, I will also be the most praised. I have experienced that before in my governor journey in Bayelsa State. In fact, people who were close to me will tell you that even after the election, I told them that in my first 12 months please cover your ears because you will hear all kinds of things. But as we progress, there will be changes.”

http://labarai.com/governors-will-abuse-state-police/

cheddarking: For once I agree with Jonathan.

Enabling State Police at this time is providing opportunities for Governors to legalize their army of Thugs.

If you thought LASTMA was bad, wait till you get State Police.

DELTA BOY: It is a lie, governors cannot abuse it because the police are part of the people too. Gadafy tried to use libya army against d people but refused

Euroclydon: Absolutely true...It will be abused!

chemashie: Many governors in Nigeria have been using federal police for their selfish interest before. They(govs) have been taken advantage of their poor conditions & meagre salaries at expense of their opponents & masses. We are not ripe for the state police for now.