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Why State Police is Dangerous, By Balogun

This Day (Lagos)
NEWS
April 11, 2004
Posted to the web April 12, 2004

By Oke Epia
Lagos
The Inspector General of Police, Mr Tafa Balogun, at the weekend reiterated why
he believes the idea of state police, as being canvassed by some governors, is
a dangerous proposition at this stage of Nigeria's development.
Balogun in a chat with THISDAY in Lagos at the weekend said given Nigeria's
ethnic realities, state police would be a recipe for violence and confusion.
Buttressing his argument, the police boss said: "Let me give you an example. If
for instance you meet an American in the state of Texas and another in Chicago.
Ask him who he is and he will tell you he is an American.
"I am using this example because that is the example most people often give of
where state police works. If you now come down to our country. If you ask a man
in Lagos who he is, he will most likely say he is a Yoruba man, an Igbo man or
Hausa man or whichever ethnic group he comes from."
Balogun who said people are more conscious of their ethnic identity than of
their nationality, added jocularly: "Before a man identifies himself as a
Nigerian, you must have asked supplementary questions", arguing that there is a
security implication to this attitude.
He said further that the experience of the First Republic should serve as a
pointer to the misuse to which politicians could deploy state police.
Balogun indeed underscored this point when he said field reports from the last
council polls indicate a lot of abuses on the part of some Governors "such that
even many people who before were clamouring for state police now see the
potential danger in the idea."
It would be recalled that following the cases of violent crimes recorded in the
recent past in the country, the call for state police heightened with
proponents basing their argument on the need to allow true federalism to
prevail in the sphere of security. However, those who back the present
arrangement for a unified police force believe a decentralised force would be
put at the mercies of state governors who may employ it for political purposes.
The IG while admitting that the police as presently constituted may have its
constraints just like all human organisations, stressed that the force remains
poised to tackle the problem of security of lives and properties in the
country.
Balogun recently in Abuja, had also reiterated that "Nigeria is no more
insecure than any other country in the world using crime as the determining
variable of security." He had said so in reaction to criticisms that Nigerians
and their properties suffered from insecurity. He had noted that the spate of
robbery and assassination incidents witnessed in the country in recent times
were "isolated cases and in most instances are restricted to very few areas of
the country," adding that "the Nigeria police is up to the task of sustaining
high level security in the country through effective crime control."
Rather than the option of state police, Balogun said the idea of community
policing, a method in which an officer would be attached to specific areas in
order to be able to deploy expert knowledge to prevent crime, is most suitable
for the nation.
The police chief disclosed that the scheme has already received the approval of
President Olusegun Obasanjo and that modalities for launching the pilot case in
one state of the federation are already in place, adding that the results of
the initiative will determine the way forward for the force. "We are adopting
the concept of community policing to encourage members of the public to
actively participate in policing the country," he said, adding that "officers
that will form the nucleus of the implementation of this new concept have been
trained in Britain and the United States. I have also undertaken study tours to
Houston, Atlanta and Chicago cities in the US in connection with community
policing." The Inspector General also spoke on Mr. Davies Oyaje, the man who
recently alleged that he was hired by the former Works and Housing Minister,
Chief Tony Anenih, to assassinate the Abia State Governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu.
He said: "Immediately I saw the news on AIT, I called Mr. Festus keyamo who was
rather helpful. I told him I would send the police commissioner to him. The
allegations were serious and when I receive such information, I normally swing
into action immediately. The next day, my men from Abuja were in Lagos. "When
the young man was being interrogated, his story did not add up and when he was
cornered he said he wanted to see me. They called to say what he requested and
I granted his request. When he came, I made sure many people were witnesses. He
started by apologising to the police, to Keyamo, to Anenih and Kalu, confessing
that he made up the story. We have him on tape and he will soon be charged to
court for giving false information." Balogun further stressed that he has taken
adequate steps to ensure that the country is well secured, noting that his
eight-point agenda for the police was one of such. According to him, the agenda
focussed on massive onslaught against robbery, assassinations and other violent
crimes through the 'operation fire for fire' strategy; crime/conflict
management; comprehensive training for police personnel as well as a serious
anti-corruption crusade within the force. Others are a robust public relations
drive; inter-service/ agency cooperation at all levels and improved conditions
of service for officers and men of the force.

   

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