A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Segun Showunmi has called for the removal of “blanket immunity” for governors to checkmate them from abusing state police if established.
Showunmi, a former governorship aspirant of PDP in Ogun State, argued that Nigeria was long overdue for state police, insisting that the Nigeria Police Force and its leadership have no excuse not to accept the creation of state police.
Showunmi, a former spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Organisation and national chairmanship hopeful of PDP, spoke on Sunday at a monthly “News File” programme, organised by the Consolidated Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), in Abeokuta, Ogun state capital.
For many years, the idea of state policing in Nigeria has elicited mixed reactions from leaders and experts, with many Nigerians expressing fear that governors may hijack the control of state police if created.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Olukayode Egbetokun had rejected the idea of state police, arguing that the existing police force should be rather reformed.
The IG, at a national dialogue on state police organised by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, had opposed the establishment of state police, saying the “state governors could use the police forces under their control for political or personal gain and undermine human rights and security.”
But, Showunmi in his submission said, the existing Federal policing structure has failed and is incapable of addressing the numerous security challenges confronting the country.
The PDP chieftain said, “With the level at which the society has reached now, we have gotten to a point where we must ask ourselves what type of policing infrastructure we need to keep us safe.
“If we don’t have enough policing, we had better recruit more for the existing Federal police or if we want to do it even better, we had better open up the policing infrastructure so that states can have their police.
“Yes, I am aware that people say the governors will not respect state police, so you can give them money to manage the livelihood of people and you are not afraid that they will steal it, but you are afraid of giving them the security infrastructure, the administrative wherewithal and the legal framework to be able to even do their duty as governors.
“The principal responsibility of government is the protection of lives and properties if the governors cannot protect their people and you are saying that you are afraid that they will kill people, then there is always an easy way out, you can remove murder from immunity before giving them state police.
“You can remove the charge of murder from immunity. So if even he is a governor and he kills someone that he is not supposed to kill, he can be charged with murder, you don’t have to give them blanket immunity if you are afraid of them.
“Whatever the police are saying on that matter, I think it is a bit late they have had the opportunity to manage this country from the constabulary system of the British and up till today we have not been able to stem unnecessary killing of our people.
“Every explanation on the table that will not make the government be able to protect the lives and properties is late and not on the table. I think the government should think about this.”
In his remark, the Chairman of the Consolidated Chapel, Olusegun Olukoga explained that the “News File” platform was aimed at giving voice to the voiceless in the society and underscored the importance of inclusive initiatives in fostering a diverse and equitable society.