Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State says governors will demand the review of the current revenue allocation formula once state police is adopted.
The governor of the North Central state, who was a guest on a television programme, said funding would be an issue for governors to pursue the adoption and implementation of state police.
Sule also said the the deaths of two students of the Nasarawa State University during a palliative distribution stampede last Friday was not as a result of negligence or poor planning on the part of the government.
Talks about state police have been gaining momentum in the last few weeks with some governors and regional socio-political groups like Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndigbo saying it would curb menacing trend of kidnapping, banditry and sundry crimes.
Already, there are state-owned security outfits in about 23 states like the Civilian Joint Task Force in Borno State, the Amotekun Corps in the South-West geopolitical zone, Ebube Agu in the South-East, Benue Guards in the North Central State, Community Protection Guards in Zamfara, Community Watch Corps in Katsina, the Neighbourhood Watch in Plateau, state-backed vigilante outfits in Niger and Bauchi, amongst others. However, these outfits have been handicapped in their operations due to a number of factors including lack of license to bear assault rifles and superior weapons to confront deadly insurgents and criminals but governors are upbeat that with a constitutional backing, these outfits will live up to their full potential.
To this end, President Bola Tinubu and governors of the 36 states mid-February, agreed on state police as a method to curb the escalating security challenges in the country. About a month later, 16 governors submitted their reports to the National Economic Council (NEC), expressing their support for the creation of state police and the amendment of the 1999 Constitution to allow for same. The decision of the remaining 20 governors are still being expected.
State police has faced some criticisms, as well as as supports but the governor said funding could be a challenge for state police as some governors would demand an upward review of monthly allocations to their states.
At the moment, the Federal Government gets a total of 52.68%, states get 26.72% while LGs get 20.60% of the country’s monthly revenue allocated by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) which operates under the Presidency, and disbursed by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
Sule said, “I went to school, grew up and went to school in a country where it is not even state police; you have county police, which local government police. The institution I attended, Indiana University, had Indiana University Police. So, I grew up in the background of this independent police and distribution. Sometimes, we just see what is happening in other countries and we just want to adopt.
“My concern about state police, and it is not like I am against it; I am all for it but my biggest concern about state police is funding the state police.
“The next thing after we adopt this state police, you will hear the state governors asking for a review of the sharing formula. And you still have the military and other security agencies under the Federal Government. What we are getting right now may not be sustainable.”
The governor also said Nasarawa is one of the states yet to submit memoranda on state police to NEC because the state is still consulting with stakeholders. “We are one of the 20 states that are yet to submit. It’s not that we are against it, it’s not that we are for it. We are still on consultation,” he said.
Peoplesmind
