A former Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, Gabriel Achong has commended the move for the establishment of state police in Nigeria.
Last week, following a meeting President Bola Tinubu had with State Governors, consideration for the establishment of state police was strongly considered as one of the possible ways to contain the surging crime rate in Nigeria.
In an interview, the Cross River-born security expert said State Policing was long overdue in Nigeria.
He maintained that it was the best option the country had because not all states of the country have the same security problems.
He said it has been a misnomer that policemen from Sokoto State are sent to Akwa Ibom State, for instance, whereas they do not know anything about their language, culture, foods, traditions, nooks and crannies of the place.
He said such policemen will not be able to achieve much but will only focus on making money and be exposed to danger.
“I wholeheartedly welcome and I advocate strongly for State Police. The locals must be recruited. They know all the terrains, local situations and everything about their people, and can be very effective in containing crimes. Others sent from Edo to Borno State, for instance, won’t know much about the crime situation, and won’t therefore be efficient. Many posted to restive states have needlessly died because they are not from such places.”
Asked whether state governors will not unduly manoeuvre the state police and whether some states would be able to fund it, Achong disagreed saying, state governors cannot not manoeuvre the process for their selfish intents as there would be laws governing its establishment.
He stated that funding and equipping of the present Nigeria Police Force is largely handled by state governments and support from organizations, and so the burden of running State police forces will not be entirely rested on State governments even though they are used to supporting with vehicles, communication gadgets and other logistics.
According to him, many countries have federal, state, and county police forces, insisting that state police is the way to go, and Nigeria should no longer drag its feet.
State Police long overdue in Nigeria – Retired CP, Achong