State policing has been defined as a police force
under State authority rather than under the authority of a city or county in
the state. It has also been defined as the police organized and maintained by a
state as distinguished from those of a lower sub-division (as a city or county)
of the state government (Mersim, 2012). However, in the Nigerian context, state
police are a kind of sub-national police force, to be organized, maintained and
under the jurisdiction of a particular state government.
In Nigeria today, there has been a recent clamor for
the establishment of State police force as opposed to what was laid down in
Section 214 of the Nigerian 1999 constitution. This is as a result of the
deteriorating situation of the security system in Nigeria. Some other reasons
for this clamour are that: the geographical area of Nigeria is too large for a
Central police command (Bulus, 2012); Policing citizens should be the responsibility
of the respective states and not that of the Federal government; It is easier
to operate close systems, shorter processes because of less loops, error
percentage and you know your target ( Mr Ekene Nwogbo quoted in Kehinde, 2013)
etc. While those against its establishment are of the view that Nigeria is not
yet mature for State Police Forces.
PROS
The following are pros or advantages of establishing
State Police Forces in Nigeria.
- It will help curb the rising tide of insecurity amongst other social vices in Nigeria.
- It will reduce the rate of unemployment as more people would be recruited into the State Police in proportion to the population of each state.
- It will help check criminal activities and corruption within the police force and the society (Chief Chekwas Okorie as quoted by Bulus, 2012).
- It will curb the attitude of policemen who hardly go to their states of origin to work but go to other states which they consider lucrative to make money.
