Dear Inspector General of Police
Today’s epistle is about the issue of State Police in the country. Let us be clear, our letter is directed at you not only because of what was said on your behalf in Abuja at the Public Dialogue on State Police themed “Pathways to Peace: Reimagining Policing in Nigeria” held on Monday 22nd of April 2024, but it goes beyond that. You are getting this epistle because, before the Abuja outing, some of us have always felt and advocated that you and your office should be central to the conversation. The reason is simple: I am more than convinced that involving operators and possible implementors in policy formulation is an essential element and a must-step in strategic policy formulation if we want such a policy or decision to be effective, efficient, and sustainable.
When news broke about the position you took on the state police topic, my first comment was to congratulate you and the organisers of the event. My commendation to the event organisers was for their insight and courage in giving you a platform to express your thoughts publicly and in unbridled form. After all, and it is not a trivial point, a very conspicuous part of the country’s establishment was present at the event and their views on state policing are well known. My toast to you was for your clarity of mind and courage of voice to deliver such an articulate and courageous position. It is worth reminding all here that from all indications the government of the day is inclined towards the establishment of state police in the country and maybe to establish it as quickly as possible. For you to stand up in front of the vice president, ministers, and other leading members of the establishment to say the country was not ready for state police was a very welcomed breath of fresh air.
Let me shock certainly not you (no need to pretend, we know each other), you know many of my long-held positions on the police force in Nigeria. Let us instead together shock some readers who might be new to this page by revealing that I do not agree with the position expressed by the AIG on state police in Abuja and I even evaluate them as wrong, but I not only strongly defend your right to express them, I also find them very useful in the conversation and planning for state police.
The points that came out of the Abuja speech very well encapsulated the positions of those against and afraid of having state police in Nigeria. Coming from an Assistant Inspector General of Police (Ben Okolo) that was speaking for an Inspector General of Police gave such opposing voices the lacking moral garb and technical authority to say “no” or “not yet” to the establishment of state police in Nigeria. The speech delivered in Abuja raised and listed real issues of finance for the policy, and realistic fears of abuse of the force. Yes, these are real issues to be addressed, and in stating them so authoritatively, the AIG representing your good self and office gave us, the people, and policymakers food for thought and red flags related to our desired policy.
The logical takeaway for a forward-thinking mind from the Abuja submission by the AIG should be that to get the state police we want, we need to address the concerns and possible collateral damages and to get it done on time, we need to quickly address such worries and possible side effects. We cannot say because a marriage might turn to abuse and end badly and we refuse to get married or that because our spouse might be poor, we choose to stay in our parents’ houses. What is needed is the vision to envisage a better future, diligence to choose wisely, and discipline to implement our choices.
What we need to do to protect the state police from abuse by governors is to, at the moment of conceiving it, make sure that there are clear laws that shield the new force from all forms of abuse from governors and all possible forces including their state police head and IGP. Whilst at it let us say that it does not even make any sense for us to delay or avoid a policy that will benefit over 200 million people just because 36 people (governors) might abuse the policy. We can make it clear that State Governors have no power over state police and even go further to insist that those who protect and travel with State Governors and other dignitaries should be officers with no power of arrest like the police officers. What we need to do to protect the state police from dependence is grant them financial independence and operational autonomy. Let the salaries and other funds needed to manage the police be transparently deliberated, disbursed, and dispensed. Let us pay heads of police and others enough salaries so that they will have no reasons to grovel to political officeholders. By the way, and in the spirit of true federalism and diversification salaries of the state police officers do not need to be the same across the country: to each according to need and capacity.
Dear IGP when news broke on Wednesday 24th April 2024 that the AIG had backtracked on the statement made in Abuja, my mind went to you and my thought was that you missed an opportunity to score a golden goal. By sticking to the position expressed by the AIG you would have cut the figure of a public servant and professional who speaks his mind with independence and authority regardless of whose ox is gored. With such a position you would have been seen by all as the one who contributed his take to the national dialogue and policymakers would have acknowledged your concerns and found solutions to them and maybe scholars would have referenced your name when listing issues to tackle whilst formulating policies for decentralisation.
Mark my words, the institution of state police is coming sooner than later, with this backtracking, you dear IGP risk becoming remembered as the man who said but then did not say…
Join me if you can on Twitter @anthonykila to continue these conversations.
•Anthony Kila is an Institute Director at CIAPS. www.ciaps.org
