seunmsg:
This is the second best news from this 8th senate. The first was the passage of federal audit bill and then this. If they can pull this through, history will be kind to them.

In a way restructuring is coming in bits. Better than nothing

Amarabae:
I pity rivers state if this law comes into place

Why do you say so?

hmm politics........ do it first

So finally the real reason they killings have been happening is out in the open

stage 1. create distrust of the administration by creating the illusion of killer herdsmen

stage 2. kill many on both sides esp in the middle belt where the peace is fragile.

stage 3. create a bill to pass the state police bill. using the insecurity as an excuse for speedy passage and to strong arm the president into signing it.

stage 4. use the state police to rig elections enmasse and eject president.

stage 5. victory and the looting continues.

state police is a prelude to the disintegration of Nigeria

And your Fulani herdsmen killing of other Nigerians in their homeland is not a prelude to disintegration of Nigeria?!!

The senate should critically examine the risks associated with establishing these forces.

Certainly, settling for a local security force that is knowledgeable about the terrain of the surrounding and the culture of the people would be an added advantage. It would further create an opportunity for matching the number of security personnels required to the average population of people settled in the locality to be covered.

However, we should also evaluate the impact of this possible development on our country as a whole. We are a people of many differences. With the separatist movement in the south and atrocious killings in the north, we don't need drivers that would further break us apart, rather we need to focus on things that would help us stick closer - united in our awesome diversity.

Though we bow to the pressure of economic/political/what-have-you restructuring, the structure for security in Nigeria should maintained and controlled only by the FG.

The core values held by the citizenry serve as indicators that prove that we aren't yet ready for a decentralised security structure.

#God bless my country.
# Soldier come, Soldier go, Barrack remain.
# Education shines the light.

abu12:
state police is a prelude to the disintegration of Nigeria

nd your Fulani herdsmen killing of other Nigerians in their homeland is not a prelude to disintegration of Nigeria?!!

Welcome development. This is what I had earlier suggested. Thank God they are just waking up to the reality of the situation. Federal government certainly cannot handle the security challenges at the present level of crime rate.

In any case, anything that has an advantage will certainly have disadvantages. The worst that can happen with state and community police is that they may be hijacked by the politicians for personal gains. But it is still far better than the killings we are witnessing daily. Your time is up. Terrorist Foolanis.

I hope this issue of state police is well thought out, our politicians are not matured enough for each state governors to be put in command of their various states' police, imagine a state official who commits a crime with the backing of the governor and the federal police is on his trail then the the state police under the command of the governor is used to shield him from arrest. and during election governors can use them to intimidate opponents.

worksmart:
So Rogue governors like Gov Wicked of Rivers state will now control their police as well?

Am I the only one seeing this as a plot for corrupt governors to use police machinery to influence elections in 2019?

What of states owing workers salaries? How can they be trusted to adequately fund the police?

Better than a rogue president using a central police to achieve sinister sectariian agenda

If Saraki decides to do something like that there is something behind it

Amarabae:
I pity rivers state if this law comes into place

how u take know sister? That my state will be on fire ooo

I can't imagine what the situation will be in a state like delta state. If for instance an ijaw man is the governor and expectedly appoints a fellow ijaw man as the state police chief. Any action taken by this police chief against (maybe) an istekiri man, will be viewed as being ethnic and discriminatory by the istekiri people. This kind of situation will be predominant in most of the multi ethnic States like delta, plateau, Kaduna etc. This different ethnic sets in these states most times prefer outsiders (who are not from the state) as police boss. They believe they will be neutral and fair in handling issues amongst them.

State Police is not the tool of the Governor. Those regions and states with tradition of abuse will continue to be so, State police or not. Regions and states that have traditionally self governed and maintained civic responsibilities will reap great gains from this.

This is oppprtunity for each state to prove its viability as a democratic and independent entity.

toniok:
I can't imagine what the situation will be in a state like delta state. If for instance an ijaw man is the governor and expectedly appoints a fellow ijaw man as the state police chief. Any action taken by this police chief against (maybe) an istekiri man, will be viewed as being ethnic and discriminatory by the istekiri people. This kind of situation will be predominant in most of the multi ethnic States like delta, plateau, Kaduna etc. This different ethnic sets in these states most times prefer outsiders (who are not from the state) as police boss. They believe they will be neutral and fair in handling issues amongst them.

Delta state needa to get its act together and put in place a check and balance to manage this issue.

About time.

hmm

WisdomFlakes:





http://punchng.com/senate-to-amend-constitution-to-allow-for-state-community-police/

Good development but I know that the fulanis won't like it because of their Islamization agenda.

chloride6:
if you believe this i have a bridge to sell you

Where's the bridge and how much are you selling it? Even the Vice President, Osinbajo was recently advocating for devolution of power to the States, creation of State Police and States control of their resources. He was speaking as the guest speaker at a function organised by Lagos State gov't on poverty alleviation.
So, yes, I believe it.

Felixv:
so who would fund these state and local police forces ---he who plays the piper dictates the tune..is this country matured enough to have an independent state police force. I see this as a populist agenda from the senate ---the crooks are looking for favor.

in spite of the short comings of the current set-up it's still better than a state force that could inadvertently be turned into a local militant group.

How about your NPF that Buhari has turned into a Fulani militant group?

Congratulations, for your failure in advance.
It will be very unwise of Bihari to sign this into law.

Watch as cultism will be institutionalised in various parts of the country.

Nigeria is not yet ripe for state policing.

docadams:


Good to have state police but there are bound to be many challenges. On funding your suggestion will not work. Funding must be taken from the hands of state govts. That means making police funding a first line charge as is done for the judges. In that way, police won't be owed salaries or retirement benefits. Additionally, state CP should become an elective office, same for area commanders and DCOs.restructuring must be total.

Good idea.

abu12:
state police is a prelude to the disintegration of Nigeria

How?

kishimi8:
So finally the real reason they killings have been happening is out in the open

stage 1. create distrust of the administration by creating the illusion of killer herdsmen

stage 2. kill many on both sides esp in the middle belt where the peace is fragile.

stage 3. create a bill to pass the state police bill. using the insecurity as an excuse for speedy passage and to strong arm the president into signing it.

stage 4. use the state police to rig elections enmasse and eject president.

stage 5. victory and the looting continues.

Miyetti Allah member spotted.

asdfjklhaha:
Hmm state police. When most states can't even pay their civil servants they want to add police to the work load. My only problem is if the states can pay the at when due. If not, we will have a much bigger problem because they might r use the arms given to them to start robbing the people they are supposed to protect.

The problem you highlighted is what many are not seeing. We are about to move from frying pan to fire. Let's take the state NEC for example, how many of them have been able to conduct elections since inception and those that conducted the elections, were they free and fair? Today most people are agitating that LGA elections are returned back to federal because states are not credible. A situation where more than half of the states in Nigeria cannot comfortably pay their workers. We arr talking of something like this. Before we changed to federal police what were the problems we encountered with regional police. An example is that during election, opposition were arrested on flimsy or no reason at all. Can we guarantee that something of this nature will cease? Saraki and his mates have been trying but until I see the complete bill this might just be more problems

Insecurity may increase becouse Nigeria didt reach that stage. Our problem is reducing high rate of unemploymet which sure P.M.B is trying. Lack of job and selfish intrest makes some children of Farmers still Fulani hadesmen cow. The Fulani Man have some thing doing since generation and understand his cattle without disturbing government but ur own case is difftebt. Do u ever had a loan given to a Fulani hadesman.... Forget ur self joo..

Lol nobody cares about police reform bill. Anyway its supppsed ti increase funding to current police force and make their funding first line charge.

goaldynboy:

And your Fulani herdsmen killing of other Nigerians in their homeland is not a prelude to disintegration of Nigeria?!!

I hope when state police chief in kano, arrest some southern and prosecute them for going against the law of the land, the southerner won't cry of victimisation

Amarabae:
I pity rivers state if this law comes into place

Agreed that Rivers State is very volatile, but state police will affect the security of majority states positively.

worksmart:
So Rogue governors like Gov Wicked of Rivers state will now control their police as well?

Am I the only one seeing this as a plot for corrupt governors to use police machinery to influence elections in 2019?

What of states owing workers salaries? How can they be trusted to adequately fund the police?

'I have heard the argument that state police could be abused by governors for electoral heist. But is that more important than the people dying everyday courtesy of the failed centralized police? There are democracy institutions that can address instances of abuse of state police by the governors but there are no institutions known to bring dead persons back to life.'..... Babatunde Fashola

menix:
Dance While it Last but when The Demerits of State police starts surfacing don't cry..

Note: religion would Play a major role in setting Up state police in Some States nd I am sure we both know Rights Would be Trampled on..

Every thing with merit has its demerits..

As for the bolded, it will likely be the case only in Core Northern States. That will signal the need for Southerners resident in the Core North to return home and contribute to the development of their own states thus demographic restructuring.

toniok:
This bill will affect the Igbos negatively. They are more outside their states. The locals will use the state police against them and they may not have anybody to complain to. Abroad where this state police work, the people see themselves as one. They speak same language, have common culture and way of life. In Nigeria and many African countries, we see ourselves as different - different languages, culture, religion etc. I will rather advise that more personnel be employed into the police force and policemen and officers be as much as possible posted to their state of origin.

Igbos like most other Southerners have been asking for restructuring which state police is a cardinal feature of. So why this volte face?
Moreover we had regional police in the first republic and diaspora Igbo security interests were not threatened unlike it is now.