The Emir of Ningi in Bauchi, Alhaji Yunusa Muhammadu Dan Yaya, has declared his opposition to the creation of state police in the country.
The revered traditional ruler argued that some governors would hijack the police and abuse it inappropriately.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with select journalists at his palace in Ningi on Sunday, the Emir said what the country needs is not a state police but adequate welfare for the Nigeria Police Force.
He added that the underlying issue lies in the negligence or lack of political will by the federal government to address the demands and requirements of the NPF.
According to him, if the federal government adequately supports the police, such grievances wouldn’t arise.
His words: “I have many facts, which is why I think giving the police to states is not appropriate. The point of the question you are asking first is, why do you want to do it now in states when we have had the Nigerian Police for more than 100 years? The answer is that there is negligence or lack of political will on the part of the federal government to address the demands and needs of the police. If the federal government takes care of them very well, you will not hear such agitation,” he stressed.
“Therefore, if successive federal governments failed to address the issue and take care of the Nigeria Police, how will the states do it?
“They can’t. I think the truth of the matter is that if we are not focused, there may be a problem, because if states recruit these policemen, they will be given weapons. And if they are given weapons, maybe they won’t get a salary, they won’t get incentives, welfare, and other remunerations over time. Maybe they will not get so many things, like good working facilities, needed working tools, welfare, and other things that are needed. I think the state governments can’t provide for all their needs since the federal government too can’t do it.”
“I remember since we were a provincial government (native authority), when we had the law enforcement and the police, they gave them everything they needed: cars, houses, and utilities. When they died, they took them to their hometowns, and so on.”
“And at that time, everyone saw their greatness, gave them respect. But now I see the situation is different, as I said. It is being said by many people that the Nigerian Police and the Army people do not see their greatness as before, and they don’t give them respect as before. That is why there is a lot of trouble.”
“Let the state governments have police. Look at the power given to state governors even now that the police are not in their hands. How is it in some states? You can’t rule out fears that some governors would hijack the police and abuse it inappropriately,” he concluded.
DailyPost reports that the Emir was a one-time Member National Council of States, representing the then Bauchi State (now Bauchi & Gombe) Council of Emirs (1979 – 1983), Member National Constitutional Conference representing North-East Traditional Rulers (1994 – 1995), and Member Traditional Rulers Sub – Committee on Vision 2010 Committee (1996 – 1997).
