The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Senator Abu Ibrahim, Friday expressed his opposition to state police being suggested as a solution to insecurity in the country.
Addressing State House reporters, the senator argued that establishing state police must be confined to a specific aspect of the law.
Asked if he was opposed to state police, he answered in the affirmative, saying "Yes and I have my reasons. I am Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs and I have made a lot of research on the issue of state police and regional police. It was on before, there was a Wilson Commission in 1954 which decided for fear of minorities not to allow regional police.
"Of course, if you want to do state police, you may do it but it must be confined to specific aspect of law enforcement, you can take away things like national elections_ but probably, local issues, arrest of local thieves, local control of security, but it must be lineated and limited."
He said he realised from his own investigation that there was serious opposition on state police from the National Assembly "and that it is as a result of the relationship between some governors and their National Assembly members. They feel they are not handling local government elections democratically let alone if they have state police.
"So obviously if the governors want that portion to pass, they must have good relationship with the National Assembly members."
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