Worsening Security: Reactions as Buhari says state police not an option

Speaking during an interview with Channels Television last night, the President said: “State police is not an option. Find out the relationship between local governments and the governors. Are the third tiers of government getting what they are supposed to get constitutionally? Are they getting it? Let the people in local government tell you the truth; the fight between local governments and the governor.”

The president’s position, which  came a day after a Chief  Superintendent of Police, CSP defied the order of Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo- Olu to vacate the Magodo Phase 2 Estate area of the state, elicited sharp criticisms in the polity with a host of groups and eminent Nigerians insisting on a state police.

Among those who disagreed with President Buhari are elder statesman, Chief E.K. Clark; National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu; Ohanaeze Ndigbo; Afenifere; Pan-Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF; Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN; Middle Belt Forum, MBF; and Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin.

The South-West Governors Forum also described the Sanwo-Olu and Police altercation as unacceptable.

However, President Buhari got the backing of the Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG, which said state police is a recipe for disaster in the country

The president advocated a bigger role for traditional rulers in bringing peace to communities, as according to him, the royal fathers know who is who in their localities.

Buhari dwelt on reports of farmers/herders clashes in the country and wondered why there should be such occurrences among people that he observed used to coexist peacefully.

According to him: “For example, there were two governors that came to see me about problems – Oyo State and one other state – because the herders were in their forests but the animals were going into the neighbouring farms, and eating the crops. I said, as far as I know, the farmers and herders have been co-existing in Nigeria for generations.

“Let them go and ask the local leadership what has gone wrong, why the break in communication between the local leadership and the herders.”

On the roles of traditional rulers, he said: “The role of traditional rulers must not be undermined, because in their areas they know who is who, even by families, not to even talk of individuals. So, we have to revert to that system for us to have effective security in the localities.”

Speaking further on why he was not convinced about the idea, President Buhari added: “No, I am not convinced. We should have solved the current insecurity in the North-East and South-South by now. Can the states be able to shoulder the burden of the police? You cannot just give someone guns and ammunition, train him, and refuse to pay him. You know what will eventually happen.”

Meanwhile, Governors in the South West have described the defying of the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo- Olu’s order by a Chief  Superintendent of Police, CSP,  to vacate the Magodo Phase 2 Estate area of the state as an unacceptable intrusion.

The CSP claimed that they were in the estate on the instruction of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Usman Baba Alkali, through the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami, SAN, and had not been directed to leave.

Chairman of the South-West Governors’ Forum and Ondo state Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, in a statement he personally signed described the development as unacceptable to the governors.

Akeredolu’s statement: “We are in possession of a video which has gone viral on the social media concerning the disgraceful exchange between a police officer, a CSP, and the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the supposed Chief Security Officer of the State, at the Magodo Residential Estate. 

“The content of the video is very disconcerting, and this is being charitable. The utter disrespect, which underlines the response of the officer to the Governor, establishes, beyond doubt, the impracticability of the current system, dubiously christened ‘Federalism.’

“An arrangement, which compels the Governor of a State to seek clarifications on security issues in his jurisdiction from totally extraneous bodies or persons, is a sure recipe for anarchy.

“We condemn, very strongly, this brazen assault on decency. We call on the IG to explain the justification for this intrusion.

“This is not acceptable. Any expectations of rapprochement  between so called federating units and federal security agencies are becoming forlorn, progressively, due to deliberate acts which mock our very avowal to ethics and professionalism.

“We condemn, in very clear terms, the  role of the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN in this act of gross moral turpitude.   

“We, on our part, will continue to interrogate the current system, which treats elected representatives of the people as mere prefects, while appointed office holders ride rough shod over them as Lords of the Manor. 

“If the purported Chief Security Officers of the States of the Federation require clearance from the office of the IG on matters within their areas of jurisdictions, only hypocrites will wonder why the current security crisis deepens and there appears to be no solution in the foreseeable future.

“We condemn very strongly, this brazen assault on decency. We call on the IG to explain the justification for this intrusion.

“This is not acceptable. Any expectations of rapprochement  between so called federating units and federal security agencies are becoming forlorn, progressively, due to deliberate acts which mock our very avowal to ethics and professionalism.

“We stand by our brother, the Governor of Lagos State. We advise him to deploy the Regional security outfit in the state to protect the lives and property of the people.

“We call on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces to rein in the excesses of certain elements bent on acting in a manner capable of eroding the bond of trust existing between the people and the Federal Government. “It is preposterous for political appointees to seek to undermine the very structure of service upon which their appointments rest.”

In a quick counter, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, alleged that some members of the South-West Governors Forum are dragging his name in the mud to achieve sinister objectives.

Malami, in a statement by his media aide, Dr. Umar Gwandu, said he took exception to the “unjustifiable insinuation of impunity” against his office, by South-West governors, over the execution of a judgment of the Supreme Court in relation to Magodo Estate in Lagos State.

The AGF said he was surprised by a statement from the governors, attacking him over alleged role he played in the deployment of security operatives to evict residents of the estate.

He said his office, and by extension the executive arm of the government, was involved to ensure maintenance of law and order.

Malami’s satement: “It is important to state that the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation belongs to the Executive arm of the Government.  The Supreme Court belongs to the Judiciary.

“The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice takes exception to the South-West Governors’ unjustifiable insinuation of impunity against the office of the Attorney General over execution of a judgment of the Supreme Court.

 “The role of the executive is, in this respect, simply to aid the maintenance of law and order in due compliance with rule of law arising from giving effect to the judgment of the apex court of the land.

“Let it be known that the issue is regarding a Supreme Court Judgement that was delivered in 2012 long before the coming of President Buhari’s administration in office at a time when Malami was not a Minister.

“The judgment was a reaffirmation of the judgments of Court of Appeal and High Court delivered on 31st December, 1993.

“The Press Release came to us as a surprise. We see it as a vituperation of ulterior motives of some political class who derived pleasure in dragging the name of Malami in the mud to achieve some sinister objectives.

“It is widely reported in the papers that the Lagos state Governor was quoted to have said ‘I’ve spoken extensively with the Inspector-General of Police and the Honourable Attorney-General, and we’ve resolved all the issues’.

“The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, would appreciate if the coalition of the  Governors will help to unravel the circumstances preventing the Lagos State Government from enforcing the court order despite  several attempts from 2012- 2015 and so-called settlement initiative started in 2016.

“Some of the cardinal pillars of democratic Government are the doctrine of separation of powers and obedience to the rule of law inclusive of Court Orders.

“It is a common knowledge that execution of the judgment and orders of Courts of competent jurisdiction, and the Court of last resort in the circumstances remains a cardinal component of the rule of law and the office of the Attorney General wonders how maintenance of the law and orders in the course of execution of the judgment of the supreme can be adjudged by imagination of the governors to be unruly.

“We want to restate that sanctity of the rule of law is not a matter of choice”, the statement read.

For opposing state police, the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has accused President Buhari of being comfortable with the state of insecurity in the country, insisting that the President’s statement that “State Police is not an option”, suggests that the situation may not be about to change.

A statement from Dr. Ayu’s Media Office quoted the PDP national chairman as declaring that “it appears the continued killings in some localities of Nigeria, particularly in the North, and more specifically in President Buhari’s home state of Katsina, may not matter to him” with his statement that State Police is not an option.

The statement reads: “Watching President Buhari this evening on Channels TV during an interview session was a gratuitous waste of time because there was nothing new coming from the President.

“As has been said by many before now, to expect anything new from our President would be a misplaced and unfortunate expectation.

“From the economy, to insecurity, killing of innocent farmers by terrorists (which some erroneously term farmer/herder clashes) and other sundry issues, President Buhari honoured his calling as a President who has nothing new to offer.

“He again repeated the impotent argument regarding killing of farmers by terrorists, reminding Nigerians of grazing routes.

“What the President failed to reference is that the herders plying the grazing routes before, neither carried AK47s, nor did they engage in raping of women and despoilation of the assets of those along the routes.  

“Mr. President’s position of saying the locals should be asked what went wrong, flies in the face of reason and contemporary realities.

“Tied to that but not limited in scope is the issue of insecurity and a re-organisation of the Nigeria Police to accommodate present, peculiar, environmental and social challenges. 

“In President Buhari’s view, State Police is not an option.   Yet, it appears the continued killings in some localities of Nigeria, particularly in the North, and more specifically in his home state of Katsina, may not matter, hence, the need to have a security system that feeds on local intelligence and nuances, which the federal police cannot adequately provide, is not an option to our President. 

“To him, it appears that continuing the same process while expecting a different output and outcome is the best way to go.  We ask, is he comfortable with the killings in the land while the status quo persists?

“Nigerians should remind President Buhari that people evolve and societies evolve. Therefore, being trapped in a time capsule of the past about State Police is not an option Nigerians are willing to accept from him.”

The Middle Belt Forum, MBF, has said that President Buhari’s opposition creating State Police in the country would only delay the actualization of the legitimate agitation of the people, which it said would eventually come to fruition.

National President of MBF, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, said the practice of true federalism is crucial to the survival of the country.

His words: “It is unfortunate that President Buhari would say that State Police is not an option. He can only delay legitimate agitations of the people but cannot stop it.

“We must practice true federalism which is what Nigeria is. You cannot rule Nigeria as a totalitarian state. And the Federal Government cannot continue to impose on the federating units its authority using federal police and federal institutions.

“If we must continue as a federation we then have to operate as a federation. So all he (President Buhari) can do is to delay the process. There is no way such processes will not come to fruition because one of the aspects of true federalism is partial autonomy on some issues like policing and others by the federating units.

“Given what happened in Lagos, the federal police cannot do that. It is not acceptable, it is not tenable. The Governor is the Chief Security Officer of the State and should have authority in his state. No federal institution should impose anything on the Governor.”

Meanwhile, the Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG, made of up 52 groups, has described the seemingly unending call for the establishment of state police as a ploy to derail the Federal Government from fulfilling its mandate on security.

In a chat with Vanguard in Abuja yesterday, CNG spokesman, Alhaji Suleiman Abdul-Azeez, said: “The President’s persistence may not necessarily be the issue here. I think the matter is not settled as a national consensus. For instance, we (the 52 Northern groups) are not absolutely in support of the establishment of state police and we have our fears.

“We are on record as having vehemently rejected calls for the establishment of state police, which we see as a recipe for disaster. 

“State police, we believe, is just a licence for the state governors to formalise their militia and set them to hound opponents and assist in organising sham elections. We also view it as a ploy to get the Federal Government to abdicate its responsibilities.”

Reacting to the Magodo police altercation between Governor Sanwo-Olu and a CSP, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo insisted on state security under the control of the state governor.

National publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Alex Chidozie Ogbonnia, said: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide decries the inability of the Nigeria Police to contain the crime wave in Nigeria. Ohanaeze, therefore, calls for State Security formations to complement the federal police.

“The state security architecture has several advantages over the federal police in that while the federal police officer may be a stranger to the cultural sociology of a community, the local security personnel are very conversant with the culture, personalities and even the topography of the area.

Ohanaeze also added that Nigerians should be schooled on the spirit of federalism all over the world. “It is such lack of understanding of the intendments of the founding fathers of Nigeria that was displayed in an encounter between Governor Sanwo-Olu and the Nigeria Police.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Ohanaeze Ndigbo condemns in its entirety the rudeness, unethical behaviour and erosion on jurisdictional authority displayed by the Nigeria police towards the Lagos State Governor.”

The Pan Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, condemned the exchanges between Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and officers of the Nigerian Police Force, describing it as a desecration of federal spirit with which the country is supposed to be governed.

Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Jare Ajayi, said the confession by the CSP who led the police team to the Magodo Estate that he had to disobey the governor as he takes orders from appointed officials in Abuja “has totally exposed the lie that Nigeria is practicing a federal system of government.”

Ajayi said: “The country is officially called Federal Republic of Nigeria while the extant constitution dubs each of the state governors as the Chief Security Officer of his or her respective states. Yet, when Governor Sanwo-Olu wanted to take a step he considered necessary for the issue at hand, an obstacle was put on his way. That this came through two officers of federal government that were appointed made the situation to be even more irritating, the AGF and the IGP.

“Afenifere is demanding for unreserved apologies from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, for this despicable affront.

“Not only that, the Pan Yoruba organisation is demanding the immediate take-off of State Police by any state that is ready to establish such. Nigeria should no longer be run as a country under a unitary system of government. The tendency to resort to self help in enforcing court judgements is also condemnable.

“Were the police being fair in following one party to go and enforce what was considered to be an order of the court?”

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has said that Governor Sanwo-Olu’s encounter with the police at Magodo Estate, Lagos was an eye-opener to leaders and should serve as a great lesson for the nation.

Spokesman to CAN President, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji in an interview with Vanguard in Abuja, said that the absence of state police was an aberration in any democratic state.

According to him, President Buhari will write his name in gold, if he reconsiders his stance on state police.

He said: “The experience of Governor Sanwo-Olu is an opener on the need for a state police. The Christian Association of Nigeria has been consistentlycalling for the state police but the powers that be have persistently turned a deaf ear.

“The collapsed security architecture is one of the reasons Nigeria is ripe for the state police. The absence of the state police is an aberration in any democratic state.

“From all indications, Nigeria is practising pseudo democracy because most of the indices of democracy are missing. The argument against state police is no longer tenable. Even the touted community policing the Police propagated to fill the vacuum exists only on paper.

“Ideally, it is abnormal to be dragging the army to maintain internal security. That is not its primary responsibility, but the failure of the present Police system forced the government to be using them and today, the army has lost its innocence as our soldiers are now collecting tolls on our roads.

“Three things will write the President’s name in gold – state police, a credible electoral system and a sound economic system.”

The Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF also faulted President Buhari position on state police, urging Nigerians to insist on creation of state police.

PANDEF National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Ken Robinson, said:  “The president is saying he does not believe in state police. Well, that has been the position of the presidency.

“This is unacceptable and we cannot continue like this.  We can cite several instances such as the Lagos governor as it were who was completely disregarded. This is not acceptable. Situations like that could create chaos and lead to very unpleasant situation in the state.

“So, for PANDEF, we believe in the creation of state police. It is one of the critical aspects of restructuring and we believe that the Nigerian State should be restructured. We have operated this system for too long and it is not working. It is creating problems for us and is not doing us any good. So, if the president is saying that he does not support state police, it  is completely out of place, self centered and egoistic and it is because the presidency is enjoying this faulty system. So we completely condemn what is going on in Nigeria.

“We hope that the National Assembly and all true patriots will add their voice to insist that we can no longer continue this way. The security architecture of Nigeria is archaic, obsolete and analogue and we need to rejig the system.”

Former Federal Commissioner for Information and Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark has lampooned the Inspector- General of Police, IGP, Usman Alkali Baba and  the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN over their alleged roles on the siege by policemen at Magodo Phase 2 Estate area of Lagos State. 

The South-South Leader noted that it was wrong for the IGP to have sent policemen to Lagos State without the knowledge of the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu who is the Chief Security Officer of the state.

His words: “Again, the idea of IGP sending police to a state without notifying the governor is wrong. I am told that a 2012 judgment by the Supreme Court gave the land to some people. Now, since 2012 till today is about 10 years, one would have expected that by this time, the judgment would have been executed. If the judgement had not been executed or enforced, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos should be informed to provide the police within Lagos to go and enforce the judgement.

“But not for IGP to send policemen from Abuja in collaboration with the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, who has nothing to do with that. And the governor went there and I saw the drama between the CSP and the governor. That is not how it should be. That shows clearly that the governors are powerless, yet they provide facilities for the police which they do not control. So as far as I am concerned, the role played by the police is not good enough. It shows that the states should have their own police.”

Also speaking, renowned rights activist, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, described the altercation between Governor Sanwo-Olu and a Chief Superintendent of Police at the Magodo housing estate as an assault to the nation’s claim to federalism.

The founder, Women Arise, in a statement, the encounter was “a clear testimony to the fact that we still do not run a federal system but a unitary system inherited from the military.”

She continued: “The anger of the public against a police officer talking disrespectfully to Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, may be justified, but the officer in question was just a man under authority, acting on the ubiquitous ‘order from above.’

“Between Sanwo-Olu and his ‘Oga at the top,’ it should be obvious who the police officer would obey.  This also clearly shows that our police force is not professional, as is the case in settled democracies.  The onus now is on our political leaders to ensure that we move away from military unitarism to true Federalism.

“To arrest this kind of embarrassment, we must restructure the country. State governors not convinced about the necessity for restructuring should now begin to give the idea a second thought. A restructured Nigeria will come with state police and the dismantling of the present system where State governors are the chief security officers of their states in words and not in deeds.

“This debacle between a Governor and CSP is shameful. This must not be allowed to reoccur. 

“Be it the Inspector General of Police  or the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF or both, anyone responsible for the show of shame exhibited at Magodo by the federal authorities must be brought to book.”