By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Calabar
A constitutional lawyer and Director-General of the Good Governance Advocacy International (GGAI), Sir Leonard Anyogo, has called for strong legislative and judicial oversight of the proposed establishment of state police to prevent abuse of the system.
Speaking with journalists in Calabar on Tuesday, Anyogo warned that state governors must not be allowed to use state police, when established, to advance political interests or harass opposition figures.
He argued that if some governors could attempt to influence the operations of the Nigeria Police Force despite its federal status, they would be even more tempted to manipulate state police without adequate safeguards.
Anyogo, who is also a member of Chatham House, London, said robust checks and balances must be incorporated into the legal framework establishing state police to ensure professionalism and accountability.
While expressing support for the ongoing efforts to create state police, he insisted that funding for the security outfit should be provided directly to the institutions rather than placed under the control of state governors.
According to him, the Constitution should guarantee statutory funding for state police instead of leaving financial allocations to “the whims and caprices” of governors.
The Notary Public also advocated community-based policing, saying police officers and senior officers should, where appropriate, be deployed to states where they are indigenous and familiar with the local environment.
“Personnel who understand the local languages, locations and environment are better positioned to combat crime. Crime is local. If you come to my community, the locals know who is who,” he said.
He described state policing as an extension of community policing, where local residents play an active role in maintaining security and monitoring criminal activities within their communities.
Anyogo further suggested reviewing the current practice of posting police commissioners outside their states of origin, arguing that allowing qualified indigenous officers to serve in their home states could improve policing outcomes.
“We should not leave policing entirely to state governments. There must be effective oversight to ensure that state police serve the people and not political interests,” he said.
