State Police Will Face Funding Challenge, former Police Boss
A former Commissioner of Police, Balarebe Sule (rtd.) says state police will face the challenge of funding in many states of the federation when it becomes fully operational.
The former Commissioner spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar while reacting to Wednesday's passage of the bill for the creation of state Police by the Senate.
While asserting that the creation of state Police would lead to reduction in crime and criminality, he, however, feared that the country was not ripe for it.
He pointed out that aside from the issue of funding, state police is prone to corruption, abuse, clash of interest, and lack of uniformity.
According to him, each state of the federation has their own peculiar economic and resource challenges.
"I can very well tell you that many states will not have the resources to equip and pay remuneration for those to be employed to function effectively.
"In addition, there will be no uniformity in the operations of the personnel across the federation. You don't expect an officer who is not well paid and equipped to perform optimally.
"This is where corruption will arise. Definitely, when you don't pay them well and as at when due, they will be exposed to corruption.
"Again, i also fear that state police will be subject to abuse by tue governors who pay them irrespective of the check and balances."
He, however, said in spite of these listed fears, state police would reduce the present level of crime and criminality across the country.
He said this is so because those to be recruited by their respective states would serve in the locality where the terrain is known to them.
"Recruitment will be done in such a way that only the indigenous people will be posted to their area.
"In your locality, you practically know everyone and where crimes are likely to be committed.
"Haven said this, I believe that Nigeria is not yet ripe for state Police simply for the fact that we are not as exposed as the countries where this is practice.
It would be recalled that the executive bill for the creation of state Police was passed to the Senate on Tuesday.
NAN
