INTERROGATING THE QUEST HERALDING THE CREATION OF STATE POLICE AS THE MESSIAH IN NIGERIA.

Abstract

Nigeria is a secular and multifarious society embracing a Presidential system of government, which indirectly connotes winner take it all. Therefore, the quest for creation sub-national police capable of reflecting the cultural and political idiosyncrasies of the indigenous people of the geo-political area is commendable. It is not in doubt that the Nigeria Police as presently constituted, which is embedded in Exclusive List in the constitution of Nigeria and funded through the federal government has failed to provide the much needed security of live and property in the country. It is the constitutional responsibility of the government both at the centre and the sub-national levels to ensure that the lives and property of its citizenry are protected and preserved. Government has no doubt failed in carrying out this responsibility as millions of Nigerians are killed, maimed, kidnapped and abducted on a daily basis. Crimes such as kidnapping, insurgency, abduction, terrorism, militancy, banditry and religious crisis have been on the increase in Nigeria. However, this manuscript is of the utmost view that the establishment of the police at the sub-national level may not after all solve the problem of insecurity plaguing the country. This is as a result of the fact that the challenges bedevilling the police in Nigeria such as corruption, lack of training and re-training, inadequate appropriation and funding and others are not constitutional but attitudinal. It follows that the same challenges would bedevil the states police if it is established. It was suggested among others things that the officers and men of the Nigeria Police should have attitudinal change towards national issues and policies; there should be amendment to the constitution of Nigeria to accommodate state police; there should be adequate appropriation and funding of the Nigeria police and state police if created.