Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has joined the myriad of voices calling for the establishment of State police, explaining that an effective legal framework by the National Assembly would prevent likely abuse of the system by governors.
He argued that State police remains the best way to guarantee adequate security for Nigerians and the national assets, as well as create a functional economy.
The lawmaker, who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District, argued that further argued that the current unitary policing structure is no longer desirable amid the country’s huge population.
He stated that the National Assembly is under obligation to provide a legal framework that would provide clearly defined preconditions, to which sub-national governments must conform before they could establish their own police formations.
Bamidele added that the role of all the 36 State Houses of Assembly is equally indispensable in the quest to adopt the decentralized police system, noting that, the two-thirds of the State legislatures must approve the proposal before it could become effective. He said the legal framework must be actionable and definite, evident and transparent, to allay public concern about State police.
Bamidele added: “It must convincingly address thorny issues that can, in the future, encourage the arbitrary use of state police by governors.”
