Monguno: Let’s have state police

[DT]

Elder statesman Shettima Ali Monguno has said crime control will be more effective if police personnel operate in areas they are familiar with, a point which he says strengthen the case for the creation of state police.  

Speaking to Daily Trust in Maiduguri, Monguno, a former minister of petroleum, also suggested that the Federal Government should hold a referendum to gauge the opinion of Nigerians on the matter, which has become controversial and polarising in recent months.  

"I have been listening to the debate currently going on on the issue. And the whole thing in my mind goes down to the training, personality and the attitude of not only the general public but also of the authorities—national, state or local government under which the police will operate," he said.

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"If you appoint a policeman to serve under the local government which he comes from he will be nearer to people and knows the problems and secrets of his community."

But Monguno said since Nigeria operates democracy, the people's opinion should be sought before a decision is taken on state police.

"As somebody suggested, the issue should be thrown to people," he said.

"As people are able to elect one individual as the head of the entire nation as president, why not give them the opportunity to choose the type of police they want through referendum?"

He cited an example of how the Native Authority Police worked effectively five decades ago: "About 50 years ago, I was a member of Borno Native authority (NA) council. As a councillor in charge of natural resources, at that time we had the NA police.

"When we were under that old system of police, there was trouble in Damboa district where farmers and herdsmen had a problem and there was a murder in that village.

"The NA said to me, you are a member of our council, Damboa district has a problem. As a member of NA police I was even given a double-barrel gun, we traced our ways to the spot where the murder was committed.

"When we reached there we found that the people ran away even leaving their pots in which they were cooking. We told the district head, now this is your responsibility, you and your men should take over from here and within the next 24 hours give us the people who committed the murder. And the people were apprehended."

Daily Trust