A former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, JB Daudu, has warned against the creation of a state police.

Mr Daudu, the coordinator of the Rule of Law Development Foundation, said this on Tuesday in Abuja. He stated that serious and immediate thought must be given to the decentralisation of the Nigeria Police Force.

“Twenty years ago, I championed the advocacy of an autonomous and independent state police completely severed from the umbilical cord of the federal police that is the Nigeria Police Force.

“I cannot in good conscience state today that I can still support the creation of a blanket State Police left in the hands of the governor of a state.

“The reason for this shift in position is that the political maturity, and I say this with the utmost respect and humility, of our new set of leaders at the state level is not such as was in existence 25 years ago.”

He noted that creating state police will encourage flashpoints in different parts of the country, some of which may escalate into “civil wars”.

“I shudder to think of what would have happened if certain states which were recently plunged into political crisis had recourse to their police units during the political crisis that recently plagued their states.

“For now and until the political actors improve in their political maturity, the alternative would be and should be ‘community police’. I propose most respectfully a measure where every ward in a local government would have an office of the community police that will monitor and ensure the reportage of all crimes.

“This should include the movement of all suspicious characters who may likely pose a threat to the peace and harmony of the community,” said Mr Daudu.

He added that where the threat exceeds the community’s capability and escalates to the remaining wards and the council headquarters, the state police command should intervene.

Mr Daudu suggested that all the funds being used to buy rice and other palliatives could be used to fund and equip security watch offices in these locations as described above.

“This means, therefore, that the local government council of every LGA must be made to be the centre point of the maintenance of law and order and the promotion of security in Nigeria.

“Note that there is still the corruption factor and strict or severe punishment must be meted on local community police officers who corruptly abuse their power,” the lawyer stated.

(NAN)