We Want Grassroots Security Outfit Not State Police, Says Shekarau

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A former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, has dismissed suggestions for the founding of state police run by politicians.
Responding to questions by the BBC Hausa service last week, Shekarau stated that it is very dangerous for politicians to be allowed to set up state police which they will use in legalising political thuggery to achieve their personal interests.

“We are not calling for the establishment of state police force with all the police equipment and tools, no. What we are saying is that we need a system of security outfit that will be in charge of itself not founded and armed by the state government such that political thugs will be empowered by the politicians.
“We need a system of security outfit where the elders of the wards and villages will select responsible individuals that will be providing all forms of intelligence towards enhancing security,” he said.
On why this has not worked in places like Kaduna, Zamfara and Katsina affected by insecurity, he explained that the problem always arises from the mode of recruitment of the security workers.
“The problem is always on how the recruitment is made. If you view the Hizbah of Kano, you will understand what I mean. The public have accepted the Hizbah even as they don‘t carry any arm or stick.
It is the likes of this outfit that we are talking about, an outfit that is accepted by the people and not influenced by the interest of politicians.

“But the problem is that in those affected areas, it is the government that gathers the operatives and recruit them with politicians having their slots of those appointed, in the end they go to serve some political interests instead of the purpose for which they are taken.”
He further stated that the example of Hizbah he gave is that as a board, all the security agencies are members that include, the police, army, NSCDC, customs, immigration and others. They work hand in hand and those from the grassroots that belong to the Hizbah provide all the necessary intelligence from their environment.

He disagreed with the idea of founding state police in the manner the Nigeria Police is to avoid being exploited by greedy politicians for their personal interests.