FG multiplying confusion with plans to create State Police – Vigilante group

The Vigilante Group of Nigeria, VGN, has declared that the Federal Government will be multiplying confusion and providing avenue for cesspit of corruption of no mean proportion, if the current plan to create State Police through amendment to the 1999 Constitution materializes, saying, the sad story of humongous financial resources continue to stare Nigerians on the face in guise of tackling insecurity in past few years.

The position of the VGN was at the backdrop of plans by the Federal to create State Police which will be under the control of State governors to tackle insecurity at the State and Local Government Council levels.

The National Chairman and Commander General of the VGN, Navy Captain Umar Bakori (rtd) in a statement made available to CAPITAL POST on Tuesday in Abuja, argued that creation of State Police will not achieve the purpose, rather, he urged the Federal Government to officially recognize the Vigilante, which he said has been operating across the 774 Local Governments in the Federation.

According to the statement, the VGN has been registered under the Companies and Allied Matters Act, hence, its is a legal entity which is an opportunity for the government to adopt it into security architecture with a view to tackling insecurity across the country, adding that the FG should learn from creation of security outfits by governors of various States with huge resources which remain a mirage till date.

The statement averred that operatives of VGN have been offering volunteer services for the past 30 years and were more than ready to be officially absorbed into government security architecture to serve and the outfit was nore than willing to cooperate with the Federal government.

The statement decried waste of huge resources, saying: “ In 2020, the Federal Government approved 13.3 billion naira for the take-off of community policing initiatives across the country under the state Governors.

“The fund for training and purchase of accouterments for 40,000 volunteers, their kits, shoes, belts, and batons were provided by the Police. In the same year, the southwest Governors formed Operation Amotekun. Ekiti state spent 1.4 billion naira in kitting their members while Ondo state spent 2 billion naira to equip them and 3.2 billion on arms, and Ekiti state Governor (Fayemi) was the chairman of Nigerian Governors forum under whose leadership the 13.3 billion naira take off for community policing was released.

““In 2021, the southeast created Ebube Agu, and only God knows how much they spent. Zamfara State claimed to have spent over 17 billion naira on security from 2011 to 2018, Katsina State said it has spent over 10 billion naira to improve security in some troubled local government areas of the state recently.

“The total costs on security for 8 states, including Community policing, was 46.9 billion naira. What have they achieved? The only people who benefited probably are the police who provided the training and kitting, but you hardly see or feel the impact of the community policing initiatives anywhere in the country.

“The same Governors (36) who formed the majority as members of Nigeria Police Council (NPC) that consists of 39 members, other members are the president who is the chairman, the chairman of police service Commission and the serving Inspector General of police.

“This same Nigeria Police Council has 27 different duties under the Police Act including the appointment of IGP and his removal from office has never sat to carry out their constitutional duties of organizing, administration and general supervision of the Nigeria Police Force, in accordance with police Act, they are now trying to create another confusion which they call state police.

“The Nigerian Constitution sec 214(1) provides for the Nigeria Police Force and states that no other police force shall be established for the Federation or any part thereof, for the purpose of unity. Sec 215(3) and (4) authorize the President and Governors to give the IGP and CPs lawful directions with respect to the maintenance and securing of public order respectively, and the IGP and CPs shall comply with these directions or cause them to be complied with.

“Therefore, constitutionally, the president and Governors have the same powers over the IGP and CPs respectively. The police Act stated that the president may make regulations but on the recommendation of the Nigeria Police Council with respect to the policy, organization and administration of the Force, including establishments and financial matters. Yet the Governors claim that they don’t have control over the IGP or the police, they must have their own police.

“In addition, sec 215 further recognizes the Nigeria Police Council and states in sec 216(2) that before making any appointment to the office of IGP or removing him from office, the president shall consult the Nigeria Police Council.

“For the purpose of clarity, let me reiterate that, all state Governors are members of the Nigeria Police Council, the Chairman of Police Service Commission, and the president who is the chairman, with 36 members out of 39 the Governors formed the majority and can influence any decision but yet they never meet.”