The Senate has resolved to review the security infrastructure of Nigeria, with a view to coming up with new ways to address insecurity in the country.

The resolution followed a lengthy debate on the strength and drawbacks of establishing state police in Nigeria.

The lawmakers made the resolution on Wednesday after expressing alarm that insecurity had lately led to many deaths in various parts of the country.

They also proposed the overhaul of the security system and a security roundtable that would discuss how to curb the menace of insecurity in through an exhaustive deliberation.

This followed a motion sponsored by Tijjani Kaura Zamfara-APC, on the recent killings and arson by armed bandits in four villages of Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

Broadened into the general situation of insecurity in the country, the senators took turns to explain general and peculiar situations in their constituencies, which they said require urgent solution.

The lawmakers debated whether the country should resort to state police in confronting the security challenges.

Giving instances of excessive use of power of vigilantes in his state, Dino Melaye, Kogi-APC, however, warned the Senate against moving for the establishment of state police.

“We must restore what I call information gathering,” Mr. Melaye said.

“There is loss of confidence between the citizens and the people. Nigerian citizens no longer have confidence in security agencies to the extent that they hoard information. The police and other security agencies must work towards gaining the confidence of the people.

“Today, I will stand vehemently against the creation of state police because it will be abused by the governors.”

Mao Ohuabunwa, Abia-PDP, however, differed in his comment. He argued that states should be involved in issues of their security.

“The primary assignment of any government is the protection of lives and properties of its citizens,” he said.

“Mr. President, we should leave politics and look for ways to curb this. We need to devolve powers. We might not call it a state police but we should let the states be involved in their own security.”

Similarly, Godswill Akpabio, Akwa Ibom-PDP, wants state police be recognised, saying it is already in operation in many parts of the country.

“We cannot do same thing over and over again and expect different result. Even if we say we don’t want state police, we already have it. Every state has one form of vigilante or the other and they all carry guns around,” he said.

“We should have a serious-minded committee that will look into the issue of security. I am not against state police but we should regulate their activities so that they will not be used by politicians.”

In his comment, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, bemoaned the state of illegal possession and mobility of firearms in the country.

“People now illegally carry arms all over the place. In the past, many committees have been set up to look at the reform of the police and as of today, no action has been taken.

“The good point, as somebody said, is for us to redesign the structure, based on that decide the solution and not solution before the design.”

On the killings in Zamfara, the Senate resolved to urge the federal government to evaluate the Nigerian Army’s Operation Harbin Kunama and come up with a clear policy on the protection of citizens, especially those in rural areas.

It also resolved to call on the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to immediately send relief materials to the affected villages, and to send a delegation of the Senate to condole with the government and people of Zamfara State on the incident.

The lawmakers also resolved to set up an ad-hoc committee to study and review the current security infrastructure in Nigeria, in consultation with the security agencies and come up with recommendations on way forward.

Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/250250-nigerian-senators-debate-state-policing-lament-security-situation.html

Front Page: lalasticlala

Its universally agreed the police are ineffective at carrying out their duties. Why else would military have to step in all the time to assist them. State government also step in to buy them equipment like vehicles.

The police should be decentralized we actually had local police in past anyway. The regions helped fund it. If you don't trust governors devolve it down to local levels.

State Police is the best option

Keneking:
State Police is the best option

Agreed but we'll need another constitutional amendment. If state are going to take control of policing they should do prisons as well. We should just allow police and prisons to be decentralized. Then any regulations be decided on state and federal level.

Just like Mr Akpabio said, 'We can't be doing the same thing over and over again and be expecting a different result.' This is true and it also explains why the south should unite and call for restructuring before 2019 elections.

Restructuring can be implemented in phases so that the Nigerian state isn't overwhelmed or even collapse.

We may do it like this:

1. Police should be run by states but watched by a Federal regulator, police service commission, to prevent state governments abuse of it
2. Power sector be handed over to states
3. Resource Control be left to states while they pay tax to Fed Government
4. Infrastructure left for states to control
5. No need for regions. States should be run by state governors. Any state that can't sustain itself after 10 years should be merged with where it was created from. Regionalism may not work because of cultural differences in North Central
6. Federal Government controls major bodies like the military, customs, immigration, etc.
7. All Federal ministries, departments and agencies scrapped
8. The EFFC should be made independent with statutory power to probe (without prosecuting at the moment) all governments in power.
9. Most importantly, Nigerians should be encouraged to love this country and ourselves because restructuring can also engender tribalism

Fingers don dey pain me

It is only in Nigeria we keep doing the same thing and expecting different results. We keeping going to the drawing boards as if the chalk we dey use no dey finish.
State police is already functioning in almost all states it is just called different names, the Senate should allow state police but work on policies that will prevent governors from using it as political instrument against opposition and activists.
There is no hidden truth that the Nigeria police needs a lot of reorganization and re-strategizing as it has been known worldwide it is one of the worse police force on earth.

they try

If it's gonna affect the Senate then it's not going to work.... Those papas and mamas think of themselves.

E no need, na until citizens start to dey defend themselves. They keep screaming they av defeated boko-haram as though insecurity is only about boko

SoNature:
Just like Mr Akpabio said, 'We can't be doing the same thing over and over again and be expecting a different result.' This is true and it also explains why the south should unite and call for restructuring before 2019 elections.

Restructuring can be implemented in phases so that the Nigerian state isn't overwhelmed or even collapse.

We may do it like this:

1. Police should be run by states but watched by a Federal regulator, police service commission, to prevent state governments abuse of it
2. Power sector be handed over to states
3. Resource Control be left to states
4. Infrastructure left for states to control
5. No need for regions. States should be run by state governors. Any state that can't sustain itself after 10 years should be merged with where it was created from. Regionalism may not work because of cultural differences in North Central
6. Federal Government controls major bodies like the military, customs, immigration, etc.
7. All Federal ministries, departments and agencies scrapped
8. The EFFC should be made independent with statutory power to probe (without prosecuting at the moment) all governments in power.
9. Most importantly, Nigerians should be encouraged to love this country and ourselves because restructuring can also engender tribalism

Fingers don dey pain me

how about the Senate..... I don't fancy them

You've said it all. We really need to go back to the drawing board and fix/overhaul so many parastals and agencies. We decided to copy the US by creating states but are judicial system is not effective. My 1 naira.

SoNature:
Just like Mr Akpabio said, 'We can't be doing the same thing over and over again and be expecting a different result.' This is true and it also explains why the south should unite and call for restructuring before 2019 elections.

Restructuring can be implemented in phases so that the Nigerian state isn't overwhelmed or even collapse.

We may do it like this:

1. Police should be run by states but watched by a Federal regulator, police service commission, to prevent state governments abuse of it
2. Power sector be handed over to states
3. Resource Control be left to states
4. Infrastructure left for states to control
5. No need for regions. States should be run by state governors. Any state that can't sustain itself after 10 years should be merged with where it was created from. Regionalism may not work because of cultural differences in North Central
6. Federal Government controls major bodies like the military, customs, immigration, etc.
7. All Federal ministries, departments and agencies scrapped
8. The EFFC should be made independent with statutory power to probe (without prosecuting at the moment) all governments in power.
9. Most importantly, Nigerians should be encouraged to love this country and ourselves because restructuring can also engender tribalism

Fingers don dey pain me

Give someone like Rochas,, Elrufai police to control.the world will end.

PCN is the answer

The to many responsibilities the federal government is saddle with contribute to the failings of this country.

Nigeria really need to devolve provision of security and economic development to the states government for their to be meaningful development and growth in this nation.

And anyone who entertains fears of the state government abusing such devolution is blind enough to see that the federal government itself has abused this responsibilities enough to such an extent that it's obvious these responsibilities are better devolved for effective governance..

My Views
1. There should be a Federal Police like the FBI. Any abuse of power, the feds take over the case

3. For sustenance of some low resources state, the onshore offshore dichotomy should be introduced but in another format
Littoral states have 100% control of waters and resources 100 or 200 nautical miles off the coast and pay tax to federal government . Any oil production off this boundary belongs to the federal account for sharing to the weaker states to fund a 10 years development program for self sustainability

SoNature:


Restructuring can be implemented in phases so that the Nigerian state isn't overwhelmed or even collapse.

We may do it like this:

1. Police should be run by states but watched by a Federal regulator, police service commission, to prevent state governments abuse of it

3. Resource Control be left to states


Fingers don dey pain me

Why is Dino Melaye saying that if state police is established the state governors will abuse it. Should we now conclude that maturity only comes when one becomes president of a nation? These state governors could become president one day and with Dino's assertion, they become matured immediately they are sworn in as president. Has any of our past and current president never abused the usage of Federal policy either on election matters or any other areas? We previously had Native Authority Police (NA) in Nigeria and heavens did not fall. My conclusion is that let there be State Police that will be complimenting the efforts of the current Police we have.

Ok

No debate on this most states has state police already

With the way state governors have decimated local govt., councils to nothing, with the creation of state policing, there's no hope for the common man. I totally don't agree with state policing. The idea is good but its effects when implemented will be very bad and dangerous

We need state police to curb fulani herdsmen menace

Ok

I don't even understand why this is still under debate. We copied our democracy from the US but copy the system of checks and balances that makes their work? God forbid in the minds of our federal house of assembly! Instead, let the country fester in the morass of insecurity and chaos.

Sometimes you just look at the selfishness of our leaders and feel weak.

There's never a better way to address insecurity in the country other than to create jobs and improves the ease to do busness in the country.

A man who goes to work during the day will be too tired to commit crime at night.

My name is Ben Bruce, just want to make common sense.

Make una sign PC bill I take Amadioha beg una

easyfem:
PCN is the answer

My Man ah tire for this guys Oooooo

SoNature:
Just like Mr Akpabio said, 'We can't be doing the same thing over and over again and be expecting a different result.' This is true and it also explains why the south should unite and call for restructuring before 2019 elections.

Restructuring can be implemented in phases so that the Nigerian state isn't overwhelmed or even collapse.

We may do it like this:

1. Police should be run by states but watched by a Federal regulator, police service commission, to prevent state governments abuse of it
2. Power sector be handed over to states
3. Resource Control be left to states while they pay tax to Fed Government
4. Infrastructure left for states to control
5. No need for regions. States should be run by state governors. Any state that can't sustain itself after 10 years should be merged with where it was created from. Regionalism may not work because of cultural differences in North Central
6. Federal Government controls major bodies like the military, customs, immigration, etc.
7. All Federal ministries, departments and agencies scrapped
8. The EFFC should be made independent with statutory power to probe (without prosecuting at the moment) all governments in power.
9. Most importantly, Nigerians should be encouraged to love this country and ourselves because restructuring can also engender tribalism

Fingers don dey pain me

in Junaid mohamed voice=these are against the interest of northern nijeriya

State police is the way to go. so because a governor may abuse the power of state police should make us suffer insecurity?

archipelago:
Why is Dino Melaye saying that if state police is established the state governors will abuse it. Should we now conclude that maturity only comes when one becomes president of a nation? These state governors could become president one day and with Dino's assertion, they become matured immediately they are sworn in as president. Has any of our past and current president never abused the usage of Federal policy either on election matters or any other areas? We previously had Native Authority Police (NA) in Nigeria and heavens did not fall. My conclusion is that let there be State Police that will be complimenting the efforts of the current Police we have.

God bless you

President should assent Peace Corp bill...

Just sell this country and buy another one....

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