Let me move on to another area concerning police and security in which mandated centralization has wreaked havoc on the provision of basic security and policing services in every-day life in Nigeria. Well up until the onset of military rule in 1966, Nigeria Police Force had an illustrious history. Formed from the British West African Frontier Force in 1898, the Nigeria Police Force was a paramilitary constabulary with quasi-police functions (see Tamuno 1970). Under colonial rule, the austere Nigeria Police Force had a civil companion in neighbourly Native Authority Police formations which functioned under the control of local governments in the North and West. Or, as a pair of authors reported the matter, "The [Nigerian Police] Force was assisted in the North and in the West by local native administration [N.A.] forces of varying size and quality ... No such forces existed in the East" (Clayton and Killingray 1989: 26).

The Nigeria Police Force became a subject of fierce controversy during the decolonization decade in Constitutional conferences that prepared Nigeria for independence from colonial rule. In the London Conference of 1957, the three Regions pressed for constitutional provisions that would allow them to establish their own police forces in addition to the federal Nigeria Police Force. This proposition was opposed by the minorities in each of the Regions who feared that Regional (that is State) Police formations would become instruments of oppression. Consequently, establishment of Regional or State Police was not allowed in the 1960 and 1963 Constitutions, although the training and control of the Nigeria Police Force had regional components that did not therefore leave the Regions bereft of policing authorities and functions. Moreover, the Independence Constitution allowed the establishment of local government police units by permitting the Regional Governments to make “provision for the maintenance by any native authority or local-government authority established for a province or any part of a province of a police force for employment within that province” (1960 Constitution: Chapter VII (7)). In addition, the 1960 Independence Constitution and the 1963 Republican Constitution had provisions for establishment of local government police units in the Federal Territory of Lagos (1960 Constitution: Chapter VII (6)).
All these arrangements seemed to have helped the Nigeria Police Force to maintain a reasonable image and to enjoy a decent amount of national and international reputation well up to the 1960s. Thus, to help the international community to resolve the Congo crisis of the early 1960s, the United Nations canvassed for the assistance of the Nigeria Police Force. U Thant, Secretary General of the United Nations, made his case before the Security Council of the United Nations for the employment of Nigeria Police Force as follows: "The question of training of the ANC [Congolese National Army] would have lesser importance if law and order could be protected in various [Congolese] localities by the local police force. Unfortunately, those forces tend to be badly organized. .... It is very satisfying, therefore, that the Nigerian Government has now undertaken to help the Congolese Government in the reorganization of the Congolese Police Force, which in the long view is also vital for the country." (Cited in Ohaegbunam 1982: 125.) The Nigeria Police Force was indeed commissioned to train the Congolese Police Force, a duty that it performed well -- to the satisfaction of the international community and to the pride of Nigerians.

Under military rule, the Nigerian Police Force has become totally centralized. First, Local Police forces were abolished by the military, ignoring the relevant provisions of the 1963 Constitution, following the overthrow of civil order by the military putsch of 1966. Second, the military-inspired constitutions of 1979, 1988, 1995, and 1999 have banned any police formations other than the Nigeria Police Force. This prohibition is stated in Article 214 (1) of the 1999 Constitution as follows: “There shall be a police force for Nigeria, which shall be known as the Nigeria Police Force, and … no other police force shall be established for the Federation or any part thereof.”

This Constitutional prohibition has the effect of depriving State Governments and Local Governments of the authorities to provide basic security for citizens under their jurisdiction. The most elementary duty of any government is the provision of basic security. It is therefore an irrational prohibition that could result in catastrophic failures in governance. The gradual erosion of basic security in the country must be blamed on high-handed military concentration of provision of security in the hands of Nigeria Police Force which has no presence in most towns and villages of the Federation. Many of those villages and towns will be glad to raise funds to establish their own policing units for the sake of protecting their lives and properties. It is irresponsible to deny them the Constitutional authorities to do so. Nor is it proper to deny the constituent States of the Federation proper Constitutional authorities to raise police forces of their own to perform their role of protecting the security of their citizens. On the international scale of this matter, it is noteworthy that some of the most efficient police forces in the modern world are owned and operated by local governments of cities. New York Police Department (NYPD) and the London Metropolitan Police are first rate police organizations of international standing that are run by local governments. Why should Nigeria constitutionally bar its metropolitan areas from the opportunities of participating in developments that are the hallmark of the twenty-first century? Of course, a slimmer Federal Nigeria Police Force has its own important share to contribute to the overall security needs of the nation. But it must not be overburdened.

Excerp from: Military Rule and Damage to the Spirit of the Nigerian Constitution
By Peter Ekeh

Front page again please. Mynd44 lalasticlala Seun

Historical facts like this make me wonder why some people are so fond of the despotic military rulers Nigeria suffered with. They are the majority of the reason issues like this carried over in civilian rule. Fact is the constitution banned states and local governments forming their own police forces. This cattle herdsmen issue could be better solved locally by having local rural police. One could postulate vigilante groups form because of vacuum in law enforcement.

The fact is we had pretty successful police force with international recognition. Now they are only known for taken bribes and the butt of many sleeping and dancing memes. Constitutional reforms should be considered in this area as well. We could have more local policing this way police are more accountable to us. In Texas where I live The Sheriff is elected by the people. Nigeria should in my opinion be more democratic instead of centralized. The international example Mr. Ekah pointed out very true.

it is noteworthy that some of the most efficient police forces in the modern world are owned and operated by local governments of cities. New York Police Department (NYPD) and the London Metropolitan Police are first rate police organizations of international standing that are run by local governments. Why should Nigeria constitutionally bar its metropolitan areas from the opportunities of participating in developments that are the hallmark of the twenty-first century? Of course, a slimmer Federal Nigeria Police Force has its own important share to contribute to the overall security needs of the nation. But it must not be overburdened.

PS: It's weird to me schools not teaching history is brought up as tragedy but nobody cares to read these kind of post. Anything over 500 word no go. I would cut more but I dont want context to be lost.

DrGoodman amoduokoh signz ElsonMorali mandax ZombiePUNISHER Afam4eva BeardedMeat krendo Lyoncrescent Guyman02 Ovamboland Jetleeee
LoveMachine Billyonaire davidif omohayek

Blue3k:
Historical facts like this make me wonder why some people are so fond of the despotic military rulers Nigeria suffered with. They are the majority of the reason issues like this carried over in civilian rule. Fact is the constitution banned states and local governments forming their own police forces. This cattle herdsmen issue could be better solved locally by having local rural police. One could postulate vigilante groups form because of vacuum in law enforcement.

The fact is we had pretty successful police force with international recognition. Now they are only known for taken bribes and the butt of many sleeping and dancing memes. Constitutional reforms should be considered in this area as well. We could have more local policing this way police are more accountable to us. In Texas where I live The Sheriff is elected by the people. Nigeria should in my opinion be more democratic instead of centralized. The international example Mr. Ekah pointed out very true.




PS: It's weird to me schools not teaching history is brought up as tragedy but nobody cares to read these kind of post. Anything over 500 word no go. I would cut more but I dont want context to be lost.

DrGoodman amoduokoh signz

If we are truly serious about security, then each state has to own it's policing. There is no way a Fulani man can be a DPO in Delta state and fight crime like a local who knows the pains and gains of an efficient police force.

This current system is being supported by those who use the police to keep the masses tied to their selfish interest. That is why someone can stay in Abuja and rig elections in Bayelsa state.

DrGoodman:


If we are truly serious about security, then each state has to own it's policing. There is no way a Fulani man can be a DPO in Delta state and fight crime like a local who knows the pains and gains of an efficient police force.

This current system is being supported by those who use the police to keep the masses tied to their selfish interest. That is why someone can stay in Abuja and rig elections in Bayelsa state.

I think the a good point but I think another huge issue is the fact. These police men don't feel accountable to us. If their money and job secruity comes from Abuja. It's not a popular topic despite insecurity in country like LG autonomy.

I speculate if they were directly elected by us. They would behave themselves better. They would stop collecting bribes on roadside and other sort of nonsense they do if their Oga's feet are to fire. The people should decide if the police are appointed by some exuactive or directly elected.

PS: Maybe I should change title to why Nigeria need State/local police forces. Let them read bold parts. They might not read but they give 2 cents anyway.

Blue3k:
Historical facts like this make me wonder why some people are so fond of the despotic military rulers Nigeria suffered with. They are the majority of the reason issues like this carried over in civilian rule. Fact is the constitution banned states and local governments forming their own police forces. This cattle herdsmen issue could be better solved locally by having local rural police. One could postulate vigilante groups form because of vacuum in law enforcement.

The fact is we had pretty successful police force with international recognition. Now they are only known for taken bribes and the butt of many sleeping and dancing memes. Constitutional reforms should be considered in this area as well. We could have more local policing this way police are more accountable to us. In Texas where I live The Sheriff is elected by the people. Nigeria should in my opinion be more democratic instead of centralized. The international example Mr. Ekah pointed out very true.




PS: It's weird to me schools not teaching history is brought up as tragedy but nobody cares to read these kind of post. Anything over 500 word no go. I would cut more but I dont want context to be lost.

DrGoodman amoduokoh signz ElsonMorali mandax ZombiePUNISHER Afam4eva BeardedMeat krendo Lyoncrescent Guyman02 Ovamboland Jetleeee
LoveMachine Billyonaire davidif omohayek

UR points are good bro.. BUT for me, Nigeria is not ripe for state policing YET. My points are as follows:

1. FUNDS: Almost all states are finding it very difficult to pay their workers salary... Police cannot afford to takee that.

2. State/Local police will be use to oppress the oppositions or minorities.

amoduokoh:


UR points are good bro.. BUT for me, Nigeria is not ripe for state policing YET. My points are as follows:

1. FUNDS: Almost all states are finding it very difficult to pay their workers salary... Police cannot afford to takee that.

2. State/Local police will be use to oppress the oppositions or minorities.

1. I agree on that point. Fiscal finances will definitely need to be sorted out. The only reason this system was effective in the past was because the Regions and local governments sourced taxes from populace in domain.

2. The blue section I bolded showed the local component to Policing without much oppression of minority tribes. I understand the fear though it same in that occurred then aswell.

If the experience in Lagos local government police units were satisfactory we could model it off of that.

amoduokoh:


UR points are good bro.. BUT for me, Nigeria is not ripe for state policing YET. My points are as follows:

1. FUNDS: Almost all states are finding it very difficult to pay their workers salary... Police cannot afford to takee that.

2. State/Local police will be use to oppress the oppositions or minorities.

1. The point you raise about funding is just a symptom of a larger disease, namely that most "states" have no business even existing, and were only created so yet more mouths could "chop" from the "national cake" of Niger-Delta oil revenues. The residents of an LGA should be willing to put together their own funds to pay for their own protection, by paying their local taxes. The upside to this is that they will have real power to hold their policemen accountable.

2. This is why I am a believer in emphasizing local rather than state police: even if a particular ethnic group dominates a whole state, the odds of their dominating each and every local government is much lower, and policemen who are recruited and paid for by independent LGAs won't be under the thumb of tyrannical state governors. In any case, the current system we have is already used by certain ethnic groups to oppress others - just look at how Fulani-herdsmen or Hausa clashes always lead to lopsided arrests of the middle-belt or southern groups they're clashing with.

The problems with this idea are:

1.States will definitely use the police to oppress opposition and even influence elections.
2.There would be problem of inter-state police cooporation; it will become harder/slower to trace crime and apprehend suspects due to bureaucratic hurdles that comes with jurisdiction,hence,efficiency is reduced because a criminal can simply abscond to another state.
3.Funding: even with a restructured federation,it would take time before States/LGs can be able to fund independent police forces.

However,I think we can have an effective police system if we:
1.Make the police force an independent institution(either it be Federal,State or Local Government); with a stipulated term of office for top positions,just like what we did with the CBN.With this,political interference will be limited to the barest minimum.
2.Change the goddamn uniform,it looks horrible.

EVarn:
The problems with this idea are:

1.States will definitely use the police to oppress opposition and even influence elections.
2.There would be problem of inter-state police cooporation; it will become harder/slower to trace crime and apprehend suspects due to bureaucratic hurdles that comes with jurisdiction,hence,efficiency is reduced because a criminal can simply abscond to another state.
3.Funding: even with a restructured federation,it would take time before States/LGs can be able to fund independent police forces.

However,I think we can have an effective police system if we:
1.Make the police force an independent institution(either it be Federal,State or Local Government); with a stipulated term of office for top positions,just like what we did with the CBN.With this,political interference will be limited to the barest minimum.
2.Change the goddamn uniform,it looks horrible.

1. I've already answered this question - you need to move from thinking about the state to the local government, i.e. the equivalent of American county sheriffs. Whose power is easier to abuse, a sheriff who is accountable directly to you and your fellow residents in the same neighborhood, or one who only answers to someone sitting in a state capital, or, even worse, in faraway Aso Rock?

2. Why is this automatically a problem? Just because a state considers an individual a criminal doesn't mean other states should always support the claim. Have you ever heard of America's "Fugitive Slave Act of 1850"? It was passed at the federal level because some northern states refused to help the southern states enforce slavery. This is a clear case where having a uniform federal law was worse than the state-by-state case you're against.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugitive_Slave_Act_of_1850
Turning to the Nigerian situation, do you really want a situation where the likes of Zamfara can force middle-belt and southern states to help them enforce sharia, with its arm-chopping and eye-plucking punishments? Do you want state governors to be able to issue federal arrest warrants against out-of-state bloggers who they think are "insulting" them?

SIRmanjar:
Nigeria is not yet ripe for state police.

You don't even bother to list a single reason why, yet expect your opinion to be taken seriously ...

Mr Omohayek,here are the points I was trying to make;
1.The state governors or even local government chairpersons' wouldnt be the ones issuing the arrest warrants; the police should be independent and have power to act unilaterally.In your post,you alluded to the state governors being able to issue a "federal arrest warrant",something only the court can do.
2.The issue of jurisdiction; If say an ijaw man kills another man in Lagos and runs to Bayelsa,what happens when the bayelsa police department refuses to aid the arrest of such a person probably because they suspect tribal persecution?,even if they are willing,the process will be slow(involving sharing of intel,investigation,profiling and perusal of criminal record from one state to another) and by the time action is taken,the suspect would be on the run again.
However,I think the idea could work only with completely independent and autonomous police forces.

EVarn:
The problems with this idea are:

1.States will definitely use the police to oppress opposition and even influence elections.
2.There would be problem of inter-state police cooporation; it will become harder/slower to trace crime and apprehend suspects due to bureaucratic hurdles that comes with jurisdiction,hence,efficiency is reduced because a criminal can simply abscond to another state.
3.Funding: even with a restructured federation,it would take time before States/LGs can be able to fund independent police forces.

However,I think we can have an effective police system if we:
1.Make the police force an independent institution(either it be Federal,State or Local Government); with a stipulated term of office for top positions,just like what we did with the CBN.With this,political interference will be limited to the barest minimum.
2.Change the goddamn uniform,it looks horrible.

1. The Fedreal government would still be there to investigate these matters. Isn't that job of INEC to handle these affairs. Next The National Police force won't completely disapear. They can be like FBI handling these sort of cases and other limited duties. The Police Sheriff could be elected by the people in each LG.

2. The bueracracy won't be big deal copy USA don't reinvent wheel. FBI was created because of interstate crimes in USA. States would simply need to have extradition rules with eachother.

3. Funding might be hard but it won't be overnight process. The level crime and tax base will determine some of these concerns.

The solutions are interesting

You should make forum post on point 1.

Point 2 they can handle that without any reform.

Blue3k:


1. The Fedreal government would still be there to investigate these matters. Isn't that job of INEC to handle these affairs. Next The National Police force won't completely disapear. They can be like FBI handling these sort of cases and other limited duties. The Police Sheriff could be elected by the people in each LG.

2. The bueracracy won't be big deal copy USA don't reinvent wheel. FBI was created because of interstate crimes in USA. States would simply need to have extradition rules with eachother.

3. Funding might be hard but it won't be overnight process. The level crime and tax base will determine some of these concerns.

What do you think about completely autonomous police forces?

EVarn:
Mr Omohayek,here are the points I was trying to make;
1.The state governors or even local government chairpersons' wouldnt be the ones issuing the arrest warrants; the police should be independent and have power to act unilaterally.In your post,you alluded to the state governors being able to issue a "federal arrest warrant",something only the court can do.
2.The issue of jurisdiction; If say an ijaw man kills another man in Lagos and runs to Bayelsa,what happens when the bayelsa police department refuses to aid the arrest of such a person probably because they suspect tribal persecution?,even if they are willing,the process will be slow(involving sharing of intel,investigation,profiling and perusal of criminal record from one state to another) and by the time action is taken,the suspect would be on the run again.
However,I think the idea could work only with completely independent and autonomous police forces.

1. You won't see my disagreeing with you here. I was trying to address the concern that state police would be turned into tools of state governors, and I think locally recruited and funded police are an effective antidote to that danger. All other things being equal, controlling 770 different locally-funded police forces will be a lot harder than controlling 36 state forces, let alone a single nation-wide force.

2. As the saying goes, "It is better that a hundred guilty men go free, than that an innocent man should be unjustly punished". The counterpart to the risk you raise is that, for example, a southerner is accused of desecrating the Quran in Kano, and is then subjected to a judicial lynching to satisfy bloodthirsty mobs of religious fanatics (remember Gideon Akaluka?). I don't think it's a bad thing for police forces to need solid evidence to get forces in other states to cooperate with them, especially given how partial Nigerians are to irrational fervor and mob sympathies.

EVarn:

What do you think about completely autonomous police forces?

I have no opinion I have no idea how it would turn out. I mean everything else is being consessioned off. Private prisons in USA turned bad I don't know how private police would work honestly.

EVarn:
Mr Omohayek,here are the points I was trying to make;
1.The state governors or even local government chairpersons' wouldnt be the ones issuing the arrest warrants; the police should be independent and have power to act unilaterally.In your post,you alluded to the state governors being able to issue a "federal arrest warrant",something only the court can do.
2.The issue of jurisdiction; If say an ijaw man kills another man in Lagos and runs to Bayelsa,what happens when the bayelsa police department refuses to aid the arrest of such a person probably because they suspect tribal persecution?,even if they are willing,the process will be slow(involving sharing of intel,investigation,profiling and perusal of criminal record from one state to another) and by the time action is taken,the suspect would be on the run again.
However,I think the idea could work only with completely independent and autonomous police forces.

On number 2. Lagos state police can petition the federal government like npf to get him in his state. If the state are not willing to give him up.

amoduokoh:


UR points are good bro.. BUT for me, Nigeria is not ripe for state policing YET. My points are as follows:

1. FUNDS: Almost all states are finding it very difficult to pay their workers salary... Police cannot afford to takee that.

Well local and state govts should be forced to raise there own revenue and run there own districts by themselves. That's how things work in developed countries. Policing is left to local govt and that's how its supposed to be in Nigeria.

2. State/Local police will be use to oppress the oppositions or minorities.

And this is why judges and police commissioners at the local and state level should be elected by the people like they also do abroad that way they are accountable to the people and not the governors that appointed them.

HughJazz:

Let everyone say in their state then. You can never abolish indegeneship , let each state have their own police or even local government police. Then marge civil defense with NPF. And police the remote areas that need help with policing or states that need more police to help with security. Any case that is committed along state lines will be prosected by the federal government . If we dont do that now the security in nigeria will never be good. Security starts in the community. Not federal government.

As good as it may sound I don't think we are ready for it now..Tribalism will hinder it.Imagine it's possible and a riot breaks out how will the state police handle the issue without taken sides with an indegene ad without been biased..e.g the Hausa vs yoruba mile 12 riot and the current ife crisis will a yoruba police not take side with a yoruba crowd?Yes they will..They must defend there kinsmenz interest.
So friend we are not ready for that now..There will be clash of interest, state and federal interest..We need a wazobian police not state police based on the 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria.

SIRmanjar:


As good as it may sound I don't think we are ready for it now..Tribalism will hinder it.Imagine it's possible and a riot breaks out how will the state police handle the issue without taken sides with an indegene ad without been biased..e.g the Hausa vs yoruba mile 12 riot and the current ife crisis will a yoruba police not take side with a yoruba crowd?Yes they will..They must defend there kinsmenz interest.
So friend we are not ready for that now..There will be clash of interest, state and federal interest..We need a wazobian police not state police based on the 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria.

before you where able to walk with your 2 feet. you fell couple of times. We must give it a try . it's gonna be step by step . and it's already happening , if you have been watching the news lately you'll see states are already organizing their vigilantes into groups and they are working with police and it's yielding results already. you cannot police from above man. it's from below.

let just see what happens. stop being a pessimist. thats the thing with Nigerians , they are not willing to tweak the system for it to work.

HughJazz:


before you where able to walk with your 2 feet. you fell couple of times. We must give it a try . it's gonna be step by step . and it's already happening , if you have been watching the news lately you'll see states are already organizing their vigilantes into groups and they are working with police and it's yielding results already. you cannot police from above man. it's from below.

let just see what happens. stop being a pessimist. thats the thing with Nigerians , they are not willing to tweak the system for it to work.

Am no pessimist it's just that I know this country too well..State police will cos more division.
Yes the vigilantes can work side by side with the police but under the police..Even the vigilantes u mentioned I remember back in the days, when opc was introduced.I know how they oppressed ad clashed with other tribes in lagos hausas,ijaws etc,They killed innocent people for no reason.Thanks to the federal govt for serving them hot humble pie with chilled fanta..Those are the kind of tribalistic people that will police the state if giving the permission o.I don't want to mention bakassi boys that's a story for another day

SIRmanjar:

Am no pessimist it's just that I know this country too well..State police will cos more division.
Yes the vigilantes can work side by side with the police but under the police..Even the vigilantes u mentioned I remember back in the days, when opc was introduced.I know how they oppressed ad clashed with other tribes in lagos hausas,ijaws etc,They killed innocent people for no reason.Thanks to the federal govt for serving them a hot humble pie with chilled fanta..Those are the kind of tribalistic people that will police the state if giving the permission o.I don't want to mention bakassi boys that's a story for another day

The criterial of recruitment will be different. they should be trained by the NPF and go to the NPF for training. stuff like that removes tribalism since they will mix with other people in the training , after that you go back to your states and join your states or local government police. very simple .

I remembered when i as a kid in lagos and our community used to employ vigilantes , it was a community levy everyone had to pay per month to the landlord association. it was so safe at night. we would even leave our doors open. and that was in lagos.
we knew the vigilantes and they knew us.

that's how policing works. people don't go out looking for other tribes to victimize . if everyone know the police man in his or her neighborhood crime will reduce because the criminal will be easily apprehended .

HughJazz:


The criterial of recruitment will be different. they should be trained by the NPF and go to the NPF for training. stuff like that removes tribalism since they will mix with other people in the training , after that you go back to your states and join your states or local government police. very simple .

I remembered when i as a kid in lagos and our community used to employ vigilantes , it was a community levy everyone had to pay per month to the landlord association. it was so safe at night. we would even leave our doors open. and that was in lagos.
we knew the vigilantes and they knew us.

that's how policing works. people don't go out looking for other tribes to victimize . if everyone know the police man in his or her neighborhood crime will reduce because the criminal will be easily apprehended .

Even if they train with angels,It won't change anytin.A bigot is a bigot..Once they go back to there various states that tribal hate will still take over them.

Vigilantes victim ain't people they protect..How them go kill person wey dey feed dem?But innocent people they don't know,or havnt u heard of countless stories of innocent people they killed just becos they came visiting there friend that leave in the street they protect.

SIRmanjar:


Even if they train with angels,It won't change anytin.A bigot is a bigot..Once they go back to there various states that tribal hate will still take over them.

Vigilantes victim ain't people they protect..How them go kill person wey dey feed dem?But innocent people they don't know,or havnt u heard of countless stories of innocent people they killed just becos they came visiting there friend that leave in the street they protect.

You write as if the current Nigerian police force was devoid of tribal bigotry. If this is so, why is it that when Fulani herdsmen clash with locals anywhere, it is always the locals who get arrested? Why is it that the only side arrested after the Hausa-Yoruba clash in Ile-Ife were the Yorubas, despite everyone acknowledging that the clash was provoked in the first place by the Hausas? If the Nigerian police force is so free of tribalism, why are peaceful IPOB protesters shot down in cold blood, while a northern policeman can openly and with impunity threaten to go on a killing spree should Buhari die in office?

The real difference local police forces will make is that the tribalism which already exists will no longer be one-sided affair that only ever benefits northerners.

omohayek:

You write as if the current Nigerian police force was devoid of tribal bigotry. If this is so, why is it that when Fulani herdsmen clash with locals anywhere, it is always the locals who get arrested? Why is it that the only side arrested after the Hausa-Yoruba clash in Ile-Ife were the Yorubas, despite everyone acknowledging that the clash was provoked in the first place by the Hausas? If the Nigerian police force is so free of tribalism, why are peaceful IPOB protesters shot down in cold blood, while a northern policeman can openly and with impunity threaten to go on a killing spree should Buhari die in office?

The real difference local police forces will make is that the tribalism which already exists will no longer be one-sided affair that only ever benefits northerners.

Thank you the nigerian police ad army is a wazobian force still yet some people accuse them of bigotry at times,so imagine what will happen when it's a one tribe dominated force.
In Nigeria as long as Its a wazobian police force the victims involved won't be so pained when they trample dere right but in a situation where the police is dominated by one tribe then the victims involved will be offended and they will surely cry tribalism.
If the state police of a thing shuld work out the Nigerians I know must accuse the police of tribalism everyday.

Goodness!!!!! Abeg, who wrotre tgmhe Nigerian constitution? That person needs to have their heads examined.

DrGoodman:


If we are truly serious about security, then each state has to own it's policing. There is no way a Fulani man can be a DPO in Delta state and fight crime like a local who knows the pains and gains of an efficient police force.

This current system is being supported by those who use the police to keep the masses tied to their selfish interest. That is why someone can stay in Abuja and rig elections in Bayelsa state.

Nope! Policing should be left to communities or local govt and their police commissioners (and judges) should be elected by the people.

amoduokoh:


UR points are good bro.. BUT for me, Nigeria is not ripe for state policing YET. My points are as follows:

1. FUNDS: Almost all states are finding it very difficult to pay their workers salary... Police cannot afford to takee that.

The only for a child to learn how to walk is to WALK. If they fall then they should try again. All this babying of local govts has not worked. Let them be given autonomy to raise revenue from local property taxes and create their own police force. That's how things work in developed countries.

2. State/Local police will be use to oppress the oppositions or minorities.

Everybody keeps saying this but this are unfounded fears. It's this fear that stops Nigerians from pursuing the right policies. State/local police cannot necessarily be used to oppress people in a community if the head of the police or the state commissioners (and judges) are elected by the people themselves. If they do so then the federal govt can step in.

EVarn:
Mr Omohayek,here are the points I was trying to make;
1.The state governors or even local government chairpersons' wouldnt be the ones issuing the arrest warrants; the police should be independent and have power to act unilaterally.In your post,you alluded to the state governors being able to issue a "federal arrest warrant",something only the court can do.
2.The issue of jurisdiction; If say an ijaw man kills another man in Lagos and runs to Bayelsa,what happens when the bayelsa police department refuses to aid the arrest of such a person probably because they suspect tribal persecution?,even if they are willing,the process will be slow(involving sharing of intel,investigation,profiling and perusal of criminal record from one state to another) and by the time action is taken,the suspect would be on the run again.
However,I think the idea could work only with completely independent and autonomous police forces.

Bros, it doesn't matter. If you commit a crime in Texas and you flee to New York and are arrested there they usually send you back to Texas so jurisdiction don't mean much as their is a federal database and if you truly want to get rid of this so called tribalism then get rid of the stupid concept called "State of Origin". It is one of the dumbest things I have ever heard of. It's the reason that after all this year's Nigeria is still not United. How can an ibo guy born and raised in Abeokuta be told he is not from Ogun state simply because his father is from somewhere else. Mind you the guy probably goes to his so called father's state of origin once a year (Christmas or easter). The stupidity of that concept is mind boggling at times.

omohayek:

1. You won't see my disagreeing with you here. I was trying to address the concern that state police would be turned into tools of state governors, and I think locally recruited and funded police are an effective antidote to that danger. All other things being equal, controlling 770 different locally-funded police forces will be a lot harder than controlling 36 state forces, let alone a single nation-wide force.

2. As the saying goes, "It is better that a hundred guilty men go free, than that an innocent man should be unjustly punished". The counterpart to the risk you raise is that, for example, a southerner is accused of desecrating the Quran in Kano, and is then subjected to a judicial lynching to satisfy bloodthirsty mobs of religious fanatics (remember Gideon Akaluka?). I don't think it's a bad thing for police forces to need solid evidence to get forces in other states to cooperate with them, especially given how partial Nigerians are to irrational fervor and mob sympathies.

First off, you are not controlling those police depts. They are autonomous bodies overseen by the people of the communities who appointed them. If they mess up, then the state govt (Or Fed govt) can swoop In and arrest those responsible for wrong doing.

Secondly, Sharia law is contradictory to the constitution of the Fed republic and should be illegal. Any state that wants sharia should make a decide if it wants to be part of the republic and abode by its rules or leave. You can't eat your cake and have it at the same time.