State Police Will Address Security Challenges At All Levels — Reps

Abubakar Yalleman, the Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs, says state police will address security challenges in the country at all levels.

Yalleman said this when he spoke with newsmen on the sidelines of the Critical National Dialogue on the establishment of State Police organised by the House of Representatives in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said the issue of state police had been a burning issue in the last two decades, adding that although it had never been on the front burner for discussion until recently.

“Having a national dialogue on the issue of security and state police initiated by the House of Representatives is evident that our once-nascent democracy is becoming more sophisticated, open, transparent, and mature.

“We have heard deep perspectives from some of our best minds in the country and abroad, these are people who relate to the citizens at various levels and have cordial relationships with them.

“As a legislature and for all legislators, we have taken notes, we have received feedback, and we have learnt, we assure everyone that we will incorporate their views on every constitutional amendment,” he said.

Yalleman said the security challenges in the country have fundamentally changed, adding that the change has made debate for state police to now have a national outlook.

He said that the feedback from the lawmakers equally reinforced the need for the establishment of state police.

“When the national consensus is fully formed, I do believe that we will have the right environment to proceed to doing the needful,’’ he said.

He said that state police had inherent risks and challenges, including a tendency for abuse and misuse by the chief executives at sub-national levels.

He added that the role of the legislature at national and state levels was to build checks and balances, safeguards, and independence for the state police.

“We must achieve balance—I mean, the right type of balance—so that the merits outplay the demerits as well as ensuring law and order at the end,” he said.

(NAN)