-Says, Many want to go home without fear after office
—Two-thirds of senators needed to pass amendment Wednesday.
Abuja — Senate President Godswill Akpabio said on Tuesday that Nigeria has lacked the courage to decentralise policing since independence, describing the proposed state police legislation as a landmark step toward addressing the country’s security challenges.
Akpabio spoke during plenary after senators postponed consideration of the constitutional alteration bill on state police to Wednesday, a delay prompted by the death of Yaya Tongo, a member of the House of Representatives from Gombe State.
He commended Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin and members of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review for their work on the bill, noting the committee’s two-year effort to produce what he called an “epoch-making” proposal.
“The proposed state police structure would make security management more inclusive by involving local communities, traditional leaders and grassroots stakeholders,” Akpabio said. “This will make it more inclusive for communities, village youth, village elders, and community policing, as well as municipal and local governments, to take part in the security architecture.”
Akpabio argued that localised policing would improve intelligence and response, saying communities are better placed to identify criminal elements and spot outsiders who may have infiltrated border areas from neighbouring countries such as Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Togo.
Expressing sympathy for victims of insecurity and families of abductees, he said combined action by the executive and legislature offers hope. “With the actions, combined actions of the executive and the legislature, from the House of Representatives to the Senate, we see hope on the horizon,” he said.
Akpabio said the reform will be pursued in two phases: amendment of the constitution and passage of an enabling act of parliament to set out modalities and safeguards designed to prevent abuse of state police powers. “Many of us would like to go back home after we are through here without being afraid of state police,” he added, urging that safeguards ensure incoming governors cannot misuse the force.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele urged full attendance for Wednesday’s plenary, reminding colleagues that constitutional amendments require the support of at least two-thirds of senators. “The issue of state police is an issue now that cuts across all political parties,” he said, calling it a nonpartisan matter that spans geopolitical zones and interests.
