Senator Sani Musa Rejects Proposal for State Police, Citing Risk of Political Abuse

Kano, Nigeria(TheGavel) – Senator Sani Musa (APC – Niger East) has voiced his opposition to the proposed establishment of state police in Nigeria, citing concerns that such an outfit could be subject to political manipulation, corruption, and ethnic or religious biases. Musa, who is also the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, made his stance clear during a discussion with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) following the recently concluded “Retreat of the Senate Committee on Review of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

In his remarks, Senator Musa expressed deep reservations about the functionality and potential consequences of implementing state policing in Nigeria, especially based on current experiences with community policing structures. He explained, “I am no longer in support of what we want to do in creating State Police. I just took a sample of the Community State Policing that we said we have introduced. It’s not working, look at the infrastructure, look at the photography of the people that work, it’s not balanced. It will only create a problem for this country.”

Musa further elaborated on the risks associated with the creation of state police, warning that it could lead to political abuse and exacerbate existing divisions along ethnic, religious, and regional lines. He added, “There will be political abuse, there will be corruption, ethnic, religious or zonal bias and disparities. Furthermore, in coordination, there will be challenges between the States and the Federal.”

While rejecting the idea of state police, Musa expressed his strong support for the autonomy of local governments, which he described as essential for ensuring the effective functioning of governance at the grassroots level. He emphasized the importance of this third tier of government, which he believes has been largely neglected in Nigeria. “Because today, the third tier of government is not in existence. It is just recently I heard a Governor who is against the judgment, saying there is nothing like the third tier of government,” he stated.

The Senator also addressed his views on federalism, indicating that while he supports the idea in principle, the term has become more of a label rather than a practice rooted in true democratic ideals. Musa reflected on Nigeria’s political history, from colonial rule to the Sardauna era and the Shagari presidency, noting the absence of genuine nationalism and patriotism in the country’s current political discourse. He said, “I am an ardent supporter of what is called federalism, but federalism for me is just a tag. When we come to talk about leadership, we have had successive governments in this country from the colonial time right to the Sardauna era to even the Presidential System when we produced Shagari and the rest. One thing that we have missed and that has been brought into our polity is the demarcation of the ideals that brought about the thoughts of true nationalism and patriotism.”

Musa further explained that the current zoning structure in Nigeria has created divisions that affect not only political representation but also the ideals that underpin national unity. “Today, if I stand and talk here, I am talking as a Senator. I am representing Niger-East and from Central Nigeria. We have been demarcated and my thoughts and ideals are going that way,” he noted, highlighting the disconnect between the regions and the ideals of governance.

The Senator underscored the importance of addressing these fundamental issues before moving forward with constitutional amendments, particularly regarding state police and other significant reforms. He remarked, “Look at the panelist, we have only four of the zones being represented: North-West, South-East, South-West, and North-East. If we are going to talk about the amendment of our Constitution and talk about state police and other issues, there are some basic fundamentals that we are supposed to take as ideals and we work with that.”

Musa’s rejection of state police comes at a time when the proposal is being actively debated as part of efforts to improve security and governance across the country. (NAN)

The post Senator Sani Musa Rejects Proposal for State Police, Citing Risk of Political Abuse appeared first on Gavel International Ltd..