Elder statesman from the Niger Delta Chief Edwin Clark has kicked against President Muhammadu Buhari’s subtle rejection of State Police in Nigeria.
Chief Clark in a personally signed statement in Abuja, Monday, specifically disagreed with President Buhari’s comment on State Police during interview he granted Channels Television last week.
Buhari had during the interview in response to creation of State Police in Nigeria said it wasn’t an option, and that governors would abuse it.
The president at the interview, said rather than create State Police, the various security agencies should collaborate more with traditional rulers who know people within their domains more than any other person for community policing.
But Chief Clark in his reaction said Mr. President’s dismissal of state Police was disturbing, being one of the required features of a federalism.
He said: “While the President is right that no Local Government in this country truly functions as provided by the Constitution, not even the joint account under which State Governments receive monies on behalf of the Local Governments, because the accounts are fully controlled by the State Governors, it is not enough to dismiss the demand for a state police.
“Majority of Nigerians believe in State Police because it is one of the cardinal points or ingredients in a federal system of government.
“Like I stated in my recent interview, State Police is a popular agitation by Nigerians and was robustly discussed and agreed upon during the 2014 National Conference. I reproduce an excerpt of the said interview.”
