Five state governments have indicated plans to adopt their existing security outfits as state police once the constitutional process establishing the new policing system is completed.

Findings by Sunday PUNCH show that while Ondo, Kaduna, Anambra, Zamfara and Abia intend to build the proposed state police on existing security outfits, other states are awaiting the completion of the constitutional process, with a few opting to establish entirely new state police structures instead of adopting existing agencies.

The development follows the passage of the Executive Bill seeking the establishment of state police by the House of Representatives on Thursday.

The passage marked a significant step towards decentralising Nigeria’s policing system.

The bill was approved during plenary after the House withdrew its earlier constitutional amendment proposal on the establishment of state police, opting instead to adopt the Executive Bill.

The states backing the adoption of existing security outfits as the foundation for state police argued that the agencies already possess the institutional structures, operational experience, and community trust needed to facilitate a seamless transition.

They further argued that personnel of the security outfits had spent years working with conventional security agencies, understood the local terrain, and had built intelligence networks that would make the transition to state policing faster and more cost-effective than creating entirely new organisations.

The states also maintained that leveraging existing security structures would eliminate the need to build institutions from scratch, allowing the proposed state police to become operational more quickly.

Ondo, Kaduna, Anambra, others to adopt existing outfits

In Ondo State, indications emerged that the government might convert the state security network agency, also known as Amotekun, into state police.

Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the Special Adviser to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Strategic Communication, Allen Sowore, said the Amotekun Corps was well positioned to metamorphose into state police.

“The men and officers of the Amotekun Corps would also be well positioned for recruitment into the state police system. Their years of experience, knowledge of the local terrain, community relationships, and understanding of the security challenges confronting our people are invaluable assets that should not be discarded.

“So, I can say boldly that Ondo State is ready for state police. We already have the structure in place, the personnel, the experience, and the institutional framework to make it work,” he said.

Also speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said the existing structure of Amotekun provides a good implementation template for state police.

Similarly, the Kaduna State Government indicated interest in converting the Kaduna State Vigilance Service into state police.

The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shu’aibu, while speaking during a training programme organised for personnel of KADVIS on Wednesday, said the state was taking proactive steps to enhance the operational capacity of the local security outfit to serve as a take-off platform for state police.

“The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces is very keen on the issue of state police. When the Constitution is eventually reviewed and state police become operational, where do we start from? You can rest assured it will start from here,” he said.

According to him, the state government has already reviewed the legal framework guiding KADVIS and developed standard operating procedures aimed at improving its operations.

Also, a senior government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to discuss the matter, said the government was focusing on improving the capacity of the vigilance service rather than creating an entirely new security structure.

“With all things being equal, the government will strengthen and properly equip the Kaduna State Vigilance Service for greater efficiency in complementing conventional security agencies. Personnel of the service are already undergoing a series of training programmes to improve their capacity to combat crime across the state,” the source disclosed.

In Zamfara State, the Special Assistant to Governor Dauda Lawal on Media and Publicity, Mustafa Kaura, said if given the opportunity, the state government would convert the state’s security outfit, the Civilian Protection Guards, into state police.

He said, “With the creation of the CPG, the state government has already established a good security structure. So, the state government will convert it, considering the experience its personnel have gained in the fight against insecurity.”

On its part, the Anambra State Government said it would rejig the state security outfit, Agunechemba, to fulfil the mandate of the state police.

The Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Dr Ejimofor Opara, disclosed this to Sunday PUNCH.

He said, “The Anambra State Homeland Security Law is something akin to state police. Although we have not seen the bill to know what the state police entails, we know there are many similarities between what is being passed at the National Assembly and what we already have in operation under the Anambra State Homeland Security Law.

“Anambra is prepared, and we believe that with the legislation that has been enacted into law, our Agunechemba will be further rejigged to fulfil the mandate of the state police.”

In Abia State, the government hinted that it would fuse the state’s Homeland Security outfit and community vigilante groups into the state police.

The state Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, who disclosed this, said the government would come up with modalities for the take-off of the state police.

States await constitutional framework

Meanwhile, states including Bayelsa, Yobe, Imo, Benue, Kebbi, Sokoto, Ogun and Ekiti have said they are awaiting the conclusion of the constitutional process before adopting any structure for the take-off of the state police.

The states argued that it would be premature to determine whether existing security outfits would be integrated into the new policing system before the legislation receives presidential assent and implementation guidelines are issued.

In Bayelsa, the state government said although it had a local security outfit, the Bayelsa Vigilante Service, it had yet to unveil a formal framework for the implementation of state police.

A government official who spoke to Sunday PUNCH on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment on the matter said the state was awaiting the completion of the constitutional process and the signing of the bill into law before making definitive plans.

He said, “At this stage, there is no official decision that the vigilante service will automatically become the state police. That will depend on the provisions of the law and the implementation guidelines.”

Similarly, the Imo State Government said it would await the President’s assent to the bill.

Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, said, “We await the President’s final assent to the bill and the transmission of the legal documents to the state. Once that happens, the state can begin preparations, while the structure and other modalities will take effect.”

In Ekiti State, the Commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said the constitutional framework for the establishment of state police would determine whether the state would adopt the existing state security outfit as state police.

“We won’t pre-empt the law, its structure or the provisions it contains, since the bill will still pass through the state Houses of Assembly for their concurrence before it becomes law. Such a law is not something anyone can pre-empt,” he said.

On its part, the Ogun State Government said it had yet to decide whether to adopt the Amotekun Corps or any other local security outfit as state police.

Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, said, “The eventual structure, composition and operational framework of any State Police Service will be determined by the Constitution, the enabling federal legislation and the state law establishing the service.

“Until then, existing security outfits, including Amotekun, the Ogun State So-Safe Corps and registered vigilante groups, will continue to perform their statutory responsibilities. Any future integration, collaboration or restructuring will only be carried out within the confines of the law and in the overall interest of public safety and effective policing,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Delta State Government said it had approved the construction of police headquarters in all 25 local government areas of the state for the take-off of state police.

The government also said it had no plans to convert existing vigilante groups or other state-backed security outfits into the proposed state police, adding that it intended to build the structure from scratch if the bill was signed into law.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Festus Ahon, who disclosed this to Sunday PUNCH, said the state preferred to establish a completely new structure instead of merging or transforming existing security organisations.

“We have not considered converting any existing security outfit or vigilante group. We are looking at starting everything afresh without disrupting any existing structure. The idea is to create new opportunities rather than convert what already exists,” he said. (Sunday PUNCH)

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