The senator representing Abia South Senatorial District, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has advised the Federal Government against placing funds meant for state police under the control of state governments.
Naijaonpoint reports that Abaribe said the funds should be guaranteed by the Constitution and paid directly to the commission established to manage state policing.
He spoke during debate on “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to Provide for the Establishment of State Police; and for Related Matters (Sixth Alteration),” on the floor of the Senate.
The lawmaker said direct funding would prevent a repeat of the challenges associated with local government funds.
He said, “Funds that must go to the state police commission must be guaranteed by the Constitution and go directly to the commission so that what we are seeing today with regards to local government funds, we don’t have to see it with the police.”
Abaribe warned that poor funding of state police could worsen the security situation, especially in the South-East.
He added, “For people like us who come from the South-East, where within two or three kilometres you see 10 checkpoints, you will now have 100 checkpoints by state people who have to fend for themselves if they don’t have the requisite funding.
“I used to be one of those who was against state police, but today we know that we have very serious insecurity problems that can only be solved by thinking outside the box.
“Today, we are aware that states have far more funding than before… which means that he who pays the piper will also dictate the tune.”
