Kwankwaso: Calls for state police stem from Federal Government’s failure on security

The presidential running mate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said growing calls for the establishment of state police are a direct consequence of the Federal Government’s failure to tackle insecurity.

Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, argued that Nigerians were exploring alternatives such as state police because of the worsening security situation across the country.

He made the remarks while speaking on News Central’s 60 Minutes with Mr Kay.

According to the former Minister of Defence, the clamour for state police would not have gained momentum if the Federal Government had effectively discharged its constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property.

“I believe that the issue of state police came as a result of government failure. The government has failed in the area of security. Therefore, people are looking for all options either for them to solve the problem or for them to hide behind it, and of course, they go to the issue of state police,” he said.

Kwankwaso maintained that, based on his experience as a former Minister of Defence and former governor of Kano State, he does not consider state police necessary if the Federal Government performs its security responsibilities effectively.

“In my opinion, state police is as a result of that failure and therefore, as a former Minister of Defence and, of course, former Chief Security Officer of Kano State for eight years, I don’t believe that state police is necessary if the federal government is doing its job,” he added.

He further stated that the country’s current security challenges have gone beyond the debate over state police, urging the Federal Government to adopt a comprehensive approach to addressing insecurity while allowing state governments to complement its efforts.

“The level of insecurity as it stands today has passed the issue of state police. The federal government should have looked at the issue comprehensively, do the right thing, and the state governments would complement their efforts,” Kwankwaso said.