There has been groundswell of demand for the establishment of state police in the country. This demand is against the backdrop of rising activities of terrorists, kidnappers, bandits across the country. And the thinking is that if you put state police in place, it will stem or entirely eliminate the rising security challenges in the country. In this conversation with SummitNews, Prince Richard Ozobu, a US trained chartered accountant, and a chieftain of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, posits that if the country is thinking of adopting the American model of state policing, that will be detrimental to the interests and aspirations of Igbos, millions of who live outside Igboland.
What is your opinion on the clamour for the establishment of state police?
I believe they are deriving the concept of state police from the federal system of government which we’re trying to imitate from the United States of America. But if we want to imitate, we should imitate properly. But if you want to modify your imitation to suit your own environment, you also should do so properly.
The essence of state police and its functions in the American federal system which Nigeria is trying to copy is this: To be recruited into the state police, you must be a permanent resident of any of the states in the US, or you must be a citizen of the US.
You can be born in that very state, but if you have not established residency in that state as the law defines residency, you are not qualified to be recruited into that state’s police establishment.
What’s the nature of the residency you talked about?
You must have lived in that particular state for a minimum of twelve months or one year, and you must be seen to be contributing to the growth of the economy of that state, by having a full-time job, and paying your taxes within that period of one year. Is that the concept they want to adopt in Nigeria?
For instance, if you establish a state police here in Enugu, many people from Northern extraction who live in Enugu, and who have full time job here, and pay their taxes here, are qualified to be recruited into Enugu state Police Force. Conversely, if you are an indigene of Enugu state, but resident outside the state, you are not qualified to be recruited into Enugu state Police Force, even though your parents are resident here.
The implication is that millions of Igbos resident in the North, and who pay their taxes their as residents, and contributing to the growth of the economy of that state, are qualified to be recruited into the state police where they reside. That is the nature and composition of state police in the US. Is that what we’re trying to copy？
In addition to state police, there is also local government police. If you want to be recruited into the local government police, you must be a resident of that local government area.
For instance, you must be resident in Independence Layout here, in addition to meeting other requirements, if you intend to operate as a police man in this area under the local govt policing system. So, you cannot recruit somebody who is resident in Uwani or Coal Camp to operate as a police man in Independence Layout and vice Versa,
Are you saying that the rights of non-indigenes may not be protected where you have state police comprising of indigenes of that state?
That is the nature of state police they want to establish here, and I say it is wrong. I think we should adopt a system that suits our own environment.
For instance, if you go to the North where millions of Igbos live and do business, and under the state police structure, you send indigenous policemen from that state to protect their lives and property, the tendency is that the Igbo man resident in that area may not get fair treatment. That’s why I said state police will not work. It is not going to be in the interest of Ndigbo since millions of them reside outside Igboland, except the law says non-indigenes are also qualified to be recruited into state police force. The most federating tribe in Nigeria is the Igbo tribe. Which other tribe in Nigeria has fifty percent of their tribesmen and women living out their respective region or tribe?
In fact, the essence of Nigeria is more embedded in the Igboman, than any other tribe in Nigeria. Go and check it out.
Wherever they Igbos live, they call that place their home. They build mansions there, and establish industries to improve the economies of their host states. Why would you deny them their rights of having their own security and safety of their lives in their own hands by recruiting only indigenes of that state to the state police force.
State police can only work effectively and efficiently if the law says that you are qualified to be recruited into the police force of the state where you are resident, and contribute to the growth of the economy of that state. That’s how it is done in the US which we’re trying to imitate.
Are you saying that as we have millions on Igbos resident in the North, they should be recruited into the respective state police where they live; and vice versa for Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani resident in Igboland?
Exactly. Since we have millions of Igbos resident in the North; they should constitute the bulk of the policemen there, and if you have Yoruba, Hausa/Fulani or any tribe resident in Igboland, they should also be recruited here as policemen. That’s the essence of state police as practised in the US. For your information, the state police functions along the state highways, while the city police function.within the city.
Don’t you think that indigenes who know the terrain very well should constitute the state police we are trying to put together, and therefore, help in reducing crime and criminality.?
I say that is wrong. It does not guarantee the safety and security of millions of Igbos who live outside Igboland. Less than ten per cent of Yoruba live outside Yoruba land, And the same is applicable to the Hausa/Fulani.
The Nigerian Police Force should be left to function in its present structure, as it promotes peace, stability and national unity. You have similar structures in India and Pakistan, which like Nigeria were former British colonies. Without this kind of police structure in India and Pakistan, both of which have multi-ethnic and religious groups like Nigeria, there would have been lots of ethnic/religious conflicts and battles.
If state police cannot work here, how do we then secure the country; reduce the spate of kidnappings, banditry, terrorism and other violent crimes?
We can go back to the old system of Vigilante, and they should be attached to the national security grid, and by that I mean the Nigeria Police Force. They should be recruited and made to function in the areas where they live. They know almost every resident of their respective communities, and so should be able to identify strange faces, and ask relevant questions. They should be able to provide credible and useful intelligence to the various state police commands.
