Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate leader, says the proposed state police service must be guaranteed independent funding under the constitution to prevent abuse by governors and other vested interests.
Bamidele, who is also vice-chairman of the senate committee
on the review of the 1999 Constitution, spoke in a statement issued on
Wednesday while responding to concerns raised by stakeholders over the state
police proposal.
The senate leader acknowledged that many of the concerns
expressed by Nigerians are legitimate, noting that such reservations were
informed by the country’s experience under the First Republic when regional
governments controlled police forces.
He said the national assembly is addressing those concerns
by building multiple safeguards into the constitutional amendment.
‘FUNDING SHOULD BE A FIRST-LINE CHARGE’
Bamidele said one of the key safeguards being considered is
to make funding for state police services a first-line charge in the
constitution, similar to the arrangement for the judiciary.
“The funding of the judiciary is provided for in the 1999
Constitution,” he said.
“The chief justice of Nigeria, for instance, does not have
to take her file to the president for approval on every procurement unlike a
minister or any member of the federal executive council that must secure
presidential approval to spend any money.
“That is why we call it a first-line charge. In other words,
the commissioner of police and state police service commission must have a
guaranteed source of funds provided for in the 1999 Constitution in a way that
the police chief will not be subject to the whims and caprices of a state
governor.”
He said the constitution must guarantee funding for state
police to prevent governors from withholding resources whenever they disagree
with police authorities.
“If a state police service is not responding well to the
directives of a governor, he may choose not to fund it,” Bamidele said.
“We must prevent such a situation. We are, therefore, under
the obligation to make provision for a certain percentage of a state budget
specifically for the operations of state police services. Access to funds must
be clearly spelt out.”
Bamidele said political interference is not the only threat
to state police services, warning that wealthy individuals, organised criminal
groups and other vested interests could also compromise the outfit if its
funding is not constitutionally protected.
“Those who expressed concerns only talked of political
abuse. But it is more than political abuse,” he said.
“If a state police service is not well funded, it is not
only political actors that can abuse state police services. Business class can
also abuse it.
“Some other organisations, even criminals or cabals, can
abuse state police service because it is a question of ‘he who pays the piper
dictates the tune’.
“If a state police service is not well funded by any means,
we have a situation where it may as well be a highway to nowhere. That is one
thing all of us must prevent.”
The Senate leader assured Nigerians that the National Assembly would address concerns raised by stakeholders before concluding work
on the constitutional amendment.
He said the proposed amendment seeks to move policing from
the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list, allowing states to
establish their own police services while ensuring they remain financially
independent, professionally managed and accountable to the people.
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