By Kene Ofomah
A public affairs analyst and Chairman of the Guild of Public Affairs Analysts, Enugu State Chapter, Dr. Ambrose Igboke, has said the proposed state police system will only succeed if state governors are given the exclusive power to appoint State Commissioners of Police.
Igboke was reacting to remarks by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who said the proposed constitutional amendment provides that State Commissioners of Police would be appointed on the recommendation of the National Police Council and confirmed by the State House of Assembly.
The analyst argued that allowing the Federal Government to retain a role in appointing state police chiefs would undermine the essence of decentralising policing and security management.
According to him, governors should have full authority over the appointment and supervision of State Commissioners of Police since they would be held responsible for security within their states.
He urged the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and members of the National Assembly to resist any constitutional amendment that limits governors’ control over state police, warning that such an arrangement would amount to “motion without movement.”
Igboke also maintained that while the Federal Government should focus on federal crimes, state governments should have full operational and administrative control over policing within their jurisdictions.
Tags: State Police, Nigeria, Governors, Security, National Assembly
