STATE POLICE MUST BE QUICKLY ACTUALIZED TO STOP INCESSANT KILLINGS IN NIGERIA!

ZION B-BC   NEWSLETTER.  

(Looking at Nigeria's Political System from a godly Perspective).

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. [VOL. 7. NO 244. 15thApril, 2018.} “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You   Free! (John.8:32).

STATE POLICE MUST BE QUICKLY ACTUALIZED TO STOP INCESSANT KILLINGS IN NIGERIA!

Virtually all well-meaning and patriotic Nigerians (including members of the opposition parties), welcomed and embraced APC's January, 2018, recommendation for the establishment, engagement and training of able-bodied citizens for STATE POLICING in the areas of crime-fighting, crime-control, criminal investigation, prosecution, etc, which was mooted among others, and geared towards the actualization of several RESTRUCTURING CONCEPTS of the Nigerian nation, which trended for most part of 2017!
Before Thursday 25th January, 2018, several political groups/associations, Civil Society Organisations (CSO's), and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO's), traditional rulers, religious bodies, the intelligentsia, etc, inundated the tabloids and the social media with all manner of their versions and best “blue-prints" of how the diverse nation of 36 States could be restructured to allow for everlasting peace, which would be devoid of rancour and instability.

There were suggestions for the merger of the existing geo-political zones to form Regional blocs in line with post-independent Regions of the North, East and West, before the creation of the Mid-West Region, comprising of Edo and the present Delta State.
Some suggested that federating States could opt for voluntary mergers involving three or more States, for economic cohesion, enhanced security arrangement, robust internally generated revenue structure and a comprehensive administrative net-work!

GAINS OF STATE POLICING ARE INNUMERABLE!
These APC's recommendations in respect of establishment of State Police, Resource Control,  Devolution of Power, etc, which had constituted contentious arguments since the advent of the new democratic dispensation in 1999, should not remain in the cooler or pipeline at all! It was high time they were collapsed into Executive Bills, sent to the National Assembly (NASS), for quick legislative  intervention - because they should be prioritized to douse the current spate of unprovoked bestial killings of innocent citizens in the remote areas of the North East States and the Middle Belt!

It is common knowledge that Nigeria's security forces comprising of the Armed Forces, Police and other paramilitary agencies have been seriously overstretched - especially in the last nine years of the insurgency perpetrated by the Boko Haram terrorists. For instance, the strength of the Armed Forces is about 170.000, while that of the Police and para- military agencies is about 370.000 and 250.000 officers and men. The Internal Security (IS), Operations of the military have become commonplace and soldiers have become household name because, the Police has failed to contain internal security challenges, which are their primary occupation of assignment - especially when the herdsmen/farmers clashes have taken national dimension and soldiers are deployed to virtually all States of the federation to quell one upheaval or another!

There could be no better time than now for State Police to take off because indigenous officers and men of the various STATES would be in better position to assess security situations, better knowledge  of the topography, the terrain no matter how difficult, identification of infiltrators and enemies would be easier to identify, prevention of crimes and criminalities, investigations of security reports would be easier to carry out by indigenes because there would be mutual trust between the Police and their kith and kin! Has anyone ever thought of the employment opportunities that would accrue through the establishment of State Police and would take off the street thousands of unemployed graduates and able-bodied men who would have been enticed into crimes by men of the underworld?

COULD THERE BE EXCESSES BY GOVERNORS?
Antagonists of State Police creation had always opined that State Governors would misuse the services of the security agents by deploying them to harass and intimidate perceived political enemies, rig elections etc. They also believed that most States Governors would not have the financial muzzle to fund, maintain and manage a Police force on their own without Federal assistance!

Some have also queried: Where would States get funds to establish State Police, recruit sufficient manpower, pay salaries, provide upkeeps, uniforms/kits welfare, regular allowances etc.? Why can't Governors surrender their SECURITY VOTES to establish State Police and increase their internally Generated Revenues (IGR's) to achieve this feat in no time? They could do these and more if they descended from their high horses and assumed their status as servants of the people and not masters! The Nigerian Constitution should be amended to accommodate the establishment of State Police, enact relevant clauses for checks and balances in order to curb the excesses of governors who might decide to go overboard in the management and control of the State Police! The international best practice is for POLICE to obey only lawful orders and refuse those that could be unlawful to provoke not only civil disorder but - civil disobedience, rioting, arson, murder or insurgency as it now obtains in the North East!

ESTABLISHMENT OF STATE POLICE IS VERY IMPERATIVE NOW!
The Regional structure and the existence of the Native Police side by side with regular, policemen was a regular phenomenon at that period of pre and post independence up to 15th January, when the military terminated civil authority and that singular act of selfishness has been responsible for the security challenges that got worsened by each day!
With the advent and continued military dictatorship all over the nation, also came importation of small arms and weapons through different sources, with the multiple and ripple effects of crime statistics soaring, year-on-year-in, till date! It is said that, of the over 500.000.000 million illegal arms in the West African sub-region, about half of these figure are in the hands of non-actors, i.e. neither with the armed forces nor with the Police.

These illegal weapons are being used every day to murder in cold blood, the defenceless downtrodden everywhere without discrimination - in the remote villages or city centres, under one guise or the other.
In the United States, State Policing is common phenomenon and has metamorphosed into the strong institution of the nation’s security architecture! Officers and men of the State Police should  be made up of indigenes of the Local Government Areas - who have vast knowledge of their territories and conversant with all porous areas  - especially in States that share international borders with neighbouring countries through which criminal and mercenaries sneak into Nigeria! The Federal Police  would still be in charge of all matters that border on national security, espionage etc, co-ordinate and co-operate with any State where federal laws have been infringed, to investigate and prosecute as may be applicable.

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE APC ON TRUE FEDERALISM!
The Governor El Rufai-led Committee on True Federalism submitted its very detailed report on Thursday 25th January, 2018, on the following planks:
Devolution of powers to the States through Resource Control.
State Police and State Prisons to be run by all States of the Federation in respect of certain crimes.
Independent candidacy which can only be enjoyed if such candidate was not a member of any political party, six months prior to any election.
There should exist constitutional autonomy for the 774 Local Governments, which should be free to legislate freely and create any number of councils as they so desired.
Food, Drugs and poison to be moved to the Concurrent List so that States could constitutionally legislate on those items, while narcotics/psychotropic substances should remain on the Exclusive List. 
Labour issues, trade unions, industrial relations, conditions, safety/welfare, disputes/minimum wages/ industrial arbitration, should be handled by both States/Federal Governments who should enjoy independent legislation.
Mines and minerals, oil fields and mining, geological surveys and natural gas that are ONSHORE will be vested in all States of the Federation, while all OFF-SHORE OIL shall remain vested in the government of the federation.
Registration of Business Names should be on the Concurrent List for companies to choose their areas of operations; State or nationwide.
Collection of Stamp Duties was also recommended to be moved to the Concurrent List, for the States to collect duties from individual and small businesses while Federal Government collects duties from Limited Liabilities Companies.
Issue of Citizenship, Local Government or State of Origin, which had hitherto been discriminatory, "should be replaced with State of Residence", through a proposed amendment to the Federal Character Commission Act to allow people domicile in a place to be considered as INDEGENES of such place.

It is in the interest of all patriotic Nigerians that this democracy must succeed and everything must be done by the Buhari Administration to push through these lofty recommendations that would proffer a permanent solution to incessant decimation of precious human lives on daily basis because of minor disagreements on STATUS QUO!!
The poor masses should not always be at the receiving end of the misgovernance of those saddled with the responsibility to protect their lives and properties!

ZION FAITH BIBLE-BELIEVING CHURCH WAS 20 YEARS OLD ON 13TH APRIL, 2018. TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Please look forward to more divine revelation in the next edition of Zion B-BC Newsletter as you share this with friends and remain blessed in the Lord. [For weekly access, to this newsletter, log on to:  facebook.com/zionfaithbible.believingchurch or http://www.zfbbc1.blogspot.com, https://www.google.com/+zionfaithbiblebelievingchurch.

If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, don’t miss this great opportunity as you pray this prayer: Lord Jesus; I confess that I am a sinner who needs to be saved through the grace of the New Testament of your Blood, shed on the Cross at Calvary; I renounce every sin in my life and accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive me and write my name in the Book of Life. Amen. If you prayed this prayer, you have been admitted into the family of sons and daughters of God, who are born-again. Congratulations.

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390.  08080243066. g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.