Participants at a roundtable on State policing in Plateau State.
By Marie-Therese Nanlong
Jos – The Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action, JISRA in collaboration with the Plateau Peace Building Agency, and Tearfund has held a roundtable for critical stakeholders to discuss how an effective State policing system can mitigate the spate of insecurity in Nigeria.
The event tagged: “Peaceful and Just Societies: State Police as the Sentinel of Peace in Plateau State” had stakeholders from diverse government and non-governmental groups discussing the essence of the State Police in the State, the framework of State policing, the autonomy of the State Police, among others.
Kickstarting the discussion, the Country Coordinator of JISRA, Jude Likita stated that the event was not just about adopting state police but about crafting a practical framework to address Nigeria’s unique security challenges.
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His words, “This event presents a unique opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue and delve into the crucial role of State policing to build a safer and more equitable Nigeria. The issue of State Police has been a contentious one in Nigeria, with many arguing that local law enforcement agencies are better equipped to handle the unique challenges facing regions of the country.
“Proponents of State Police believe that decentralized law enforcement can lead to more effective crime prevention and better community relations especially in areas of conflicts associated with ethno-religious lines. This conversation should be seen as the first step in coming up with a framework on State policing in Nigeria…”
The Director-General of the Plateau Peace Building Agency, Julie Sanda reiterated the importance of the roundtable as it provides a platform for voices to be heard and meaningful discussions held and asked that everyone commit to building a peaceful society because even if conflict is a part of life, the violent aspect of conflict is detrimental to society.
In a keynote address, Professor Ezekiel Best from the Department of Sociology, University of Jos asked that Nigerians check the things that promote lack of peace and avoid them as a just society is inclusive and built on love.
He said, “I do not think the issue is whether there should be State Police. The steps taken by the government at different levels of legislation suggest that we should be discussing the modalities of its operation…
“The State Police will be native to their localities and this should help handle many issues right from recruitment to discipline and reward… it is possible to have a State that is peaceful and just with Police that is effective, functional, funded, and independent of the control of the Governor.”
Other speakers included the Advocacy Manager of Tearfund, Ben Osawe, Professor Nnamdi Aduba, Rev. Gideon Para-Mallam, the State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Musa Ashoms, The Chief Imam Jos Central Mosque, Sheikh Gazali Adam, Nanmak Bali, a State legislator, Daniel Nanbol, among others, mentioned what could be done to have an efficient state police and policing.
