A political economist, Prof Pat Utomi, has backed calls for the creation of state police to address Nigeria’s security challenges.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos yesterday, Utomi said the creation of sub-national police would improve security in the country significantly.
He said the country should copy the example of the U.S., which is effectively running a decentralised police system.
“I have always supported the idea of state police. I believe state police is a very important part of the process of decentralising authority in Nigeria.
“I live in a university town called Bloomington, Indiana in the United States. The university has its own police (university police) that carry guns. When we go outside of the university campus, the town-the city of Bloomington-has its own police and they also carry guns.
“Then, the county in which Bloomington is located also has its county police force. There are also the Indiana state police.
This model shows that policing is more effective when it is decentralized,” he said.
Utomi said the fear of possible abuse by state governments should not be a reason to oppose or reject the idea of state police.
According to him, mechanisms should be put in place to check abuse or manipulation by state governments, if state police is adopted.
“What the Americans have done over the years to the so-called problem of local abuse of people’s rights by police is to ensure that wherever there is a problem relating to breach of rights, the FBI automatically steps in.
“So that is how the Americans have tried to manage it. We can do the same. We cannot have effective security without a sub-national police force,” he added. (NAN)
