Boko haram attacks: ACF, ex-police chiefs reject state police

The northern socio-political group, the Arewa Consultative Forum, and some ex- police chiefs on Tuesday rejected the Nigeria Governors’ Forum’s demand for state police.

They described creation of state police as an invitation to chaos.

But the Action Congress of Nigeria has backed the NGF, saying security in the country should be decentralised.

The National Assembly has however said that the possibility of state police will be part of its constitution review.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Information and Media, Enyinnaya Abaribe, on Tuesday told one of our correspondents in Uyo that every option that could enhance security would be considered.

“All options to enhance the security of Nigeria, including state police, are to be considered in the constitution amendment,” he said.

The ACF National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani, said the group did not back the NGF’s demand for state police, and urged President Goodluck Jonathan to pursue the option of dialogue with the north-based violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

“In a clime where democracy has yet to develop, state police would enable the state governors to use policemen to cause havoc for their opponents, reminiscent of how they used their state electoral commissions to conquer and vanquish the opponents at state level, leading to sluggish development,” Sani said.

He advised Jonathan to hold talks with Boko Haram, arguing that an attempt by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua to use force against the sect members did not succeed. He said the late President killed “hundreds of Boko Haram members, including their leader.”

Also, a former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, warned that the creation of state police would lead to the eventual disintegration of Nigeria.

Source; Punch