Former President Goodluck Jonathan has declared his support for the establishment of state police, stating that the quest to establish state police is completely non-negotiable.
Mr Jonathan expressed his views at the “National Dialogue on the Establishment of State Police” organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review on Monday in Abuja. The dialogue was themed, “Pathways to Peace: Reimagining Policing in Nigeria.”
The former Bayelsa State governor emphasized that the debate is not about the establishment of state policing, but rather about the establishment of mechanisms to prevent abuse.
Drawing from his time as the President, Mr Jonathan revealed that the 2014 National Conference unanimously endorsed the establishment of “State Police, National Border Guard and National Coast Guard.”
However, Jonathan urged Nigerians, including the National Assembly, to focus on how to create an operational framework for state police in a way that enhances Nigeria’s security architecture for the overall security and progress of Nigeria.
Speaking further, while highlighting the perceived role of politicians, especially governors whom many analysts believe would use state police to harass political opponents, Jonathan called on the panelists in the dialogue to focus on “How do we ensure that state political actors do not abuse the state police.”
