Nigerian Senate Proffers State Police, Proper Funding As Solutions To Banditry
The lawmakers berated the Nigerian government over its inability to tackle the alarming rate of insecurity in the country, stressing that introduction of state Police remained the only solution to the menace.

The Nigerian Senate has said state policing and proper funding of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) are the solutions to the banditry in some North-Western states of Nigeria.
Bukola Saraki, Nigeria’s Senate President, said this during the plenary on Wednesday, following a motion by Senators Emmanuel Bwacha from Taraba State and his colleague from Zamfara State, Kabir Marafa.
The lawmakers berated the Nigerian government over its inability to tackle the alarming rate of insecurity in the country, stressing that introduction of state Police remained the only solution to the menace.
Responding to the motion of the two lawmakers, the Senate President said apart from the establishment of community or state police, the funding of the Nigeria Police Force was essential to tackle the menace.
He said: “From the contributions we have had, I think it is key that we begin to look at the problem and look for long-term solutions. I think that what we did yesterday (Tuesday) in trying to strengthen the funding of the Police through the Police Reform Bill is right.
“The sooner that we can pass that bill will also help us in addressing the insecurity challenges.
“But more importantly is that we must go back to what a lot of us had been advocating here that there is the need for us to have state or community police. It is the way forward. Otherwise, we will continue to run into these problems.
“On the area of oversight, there is a lot also that we need to do to ensure that we hold the security agencies accountable. And we need to move very fast in this area.”
In its resolution, the Senate commended Nigerians, irrespective of cultural, religious and ethnic differences, for coming out in large numbers to show solidarity with the plight of victims of banditry in Zamfara.
The Senate also deliberated on making provision for N10billion in the 2019 appropriation bill as intervention fund to cater for Internally Displaced Persons and other persons affected by the activities of bandits in Zamfara State.
The Senate also urged the government to set up an ad hoc committee to be known as Presidential Initiative on Zamfara with a 10-year lifespan to manage the said funds and subsequent allocations and donations.
Marafa, who rose through orders 42 and 52 of the Senate standing rules to move his motion, said the problem of insecurity in Zamfara State was deteriorating daily, adding that this called for urgent legislative intervention.
Marafa said: “Since 2011, as a result of the unabating activities of the criminals in the state, roughly estimated 11,000 males have been killed, leaving behind an average of 22,000 widows and by extension, 44,000 orphans.
“These figures are just by conservative estimates because the figures are higher. Bandits and heavily armed kidnappers operate with little or no resistance in Gusau, the state capital, making less than 75 per cent of the people in Zamfara not to be sleeping in their houses.
“The situation has nothing to do with politics, because my own blood sister was brutally murdered in her matrimonial home in February this year and even two of my cousins were killed outside the state capital a few weeks back.”
Bwacha, on his own part, alerted the red chamber to the series of kidnappings in his state and suggested that there should be legislative backing for individuals who want to carry arms for self-defence.
The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, commended Marafa for always bringing the deteriorating security situation in Zamfara to the front burner of discourse in the Senate.
He said: “For the government to tackle the security problem headlong, the abnormality of Nigeria being the only federation with centralised police, must be addressed.”
The Senate Chief Whip, Olusola Adeyeye, said the problem of the country was the constitution itself, which he noted, provided for an “over- centralised federation or better put, unitary system as against a federal system of government.”
According to him, as long as the problematic constitution is not amended by way of removing policing from the exclusive list to the concurrent list to pave the way for state police, criminality at local levels will continue unabated.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D0trNUB-ME


www.saharareporters.com/2019/04/11/nigerian-senate-proffers-state-police-proper-funding-solutions-banditry

If only our Military was not ridiculed, at this point Army would've stepped up and reshuffle the Government system.... Federal Republic that can't practice true federalism, is that one Federal?

State Police should be structured in a way that they are used to quel disturbances like this


and cannot be manipulated to arrest people that Governors hate


waiting for IGP in Abuja for many things does not make sense

Nothing will change until those terrorists visit one of Buhari family members..

I hope this 8th senate would in this short time they have left, offer selfless service for the good of our country. I wish they make laws towards a one indivisible and prosperous Nigeria...

Bla bla bla bla bla talk talk talk talk without actions.

State police ko local police ni, the orientation of an average naijg police officer is bad.

state police will be a good one but I fear they ll be worse than fed police in due course considering the way state traffic agencies have fared so far

I am pretty sure this will be talked about for the next eight years without action

For once this Nass should make us proud,passing too much resolution and talking too has never helped.Change The Constitution to meet reality

hummm

Good and bad..

Good...for a state like Lagos.

Bad...for a state like Osun, owning 34 half months salary. The fool is in Lagos claiming ownership of Lagos APC. I blame them youths following these thieves.

Senate just dey wake up from sleep. Make they clear eyes first. They want state to state war ne?
If Ondo police catches AbiA man, e go collect money pass waiting SARS dey collect today.

Devolution of power is what this country need right now, also the state policing is very crucial as it would help curb the crime rate. Why I say this is because if you look at most crimes happening it is all local and localised, so if its local how do you call the federal to handle it. I pray they work on this state policing law and also devolution of power. That's if uncle Buhari would agree o

Proper training and retraining also is very important. The police force for sm reason are not as disciplined as the military like navy and airforce.

Story...

The Senate also deliberated on making provision for N10billion in the 2019 appropriation bill as intervention fund to cater for Internally Displaced Persons and other persons affected by the activities of bandits in Zamfara State.

Another format to loot and steal. Na the same law makers dey sponsor the bandits. Yahoo Men

Best way to go into restructure the country

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No to state police not after what the country witnessed during the gubernatorial elections some months ago. Federal police should be strengthen and equipped with more communication gadgets.

You guus should be there all stuck around federal policing until crime envelops the whole country.. mumu country and leaders.. and please after this consideration kindly deliberate on lifting immunity from our useless governors.. they dont need it...

godunia:
No to state police not after what the country witnessed during the gubernatorial elections some months ago. Federal police should be strengthen and equipped with more communication gadgets.

no.. state police is freaking good.. the other control to put in place is lifting up the immunity clause from our erratic governors.. there should be balance and accountability..

And what did they do after talking? The primary function of the legislature is to make laws not to talk and complain like common Nigerians.
If I may ask, what did the legislatures do apart from discussing the problem? Did they pass the law?