Why North Is Against Creation Of State Police – Shehu Sani

Former Senator representing Kaduna Central in the National Assembly, Shehu Sani has revealed why the Northern region is against the creation of state police.

Sani stated that the region is against state police creation because state governors can use it to persecute political enemies or critics.

In an online interview programme, 90MinutesAfrica, the former lawmaker said that the reservation towards state police in the north is noted, but it will be good for local security.

Sani added he supports the creation of state police because it will help restore law and order and security in the country, adding that the idea could be abused.

He, however, opined that Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State who supports state police today will oppose the idea when he emerges as the governor of the state in 2023.

He said: “In as much as it will be good for local security, we also have a problem where it can be used by state governors to persecute political enemies and it becomes the armed wing of the ruling party in the state.

“When we speak about that (state police), we speak about history. In the colonial times when the police were under the emirs, they were used to persecute people who were critical of the emirate system or the religious order. The ruling political party then, the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) used native police to go after critics.

“He (Gov el-Rufai) may be in power today, he wants state police. After May 29 next year and I take over Kaduna State, ask him his views. Should Shehu Sani be in charge of the state police? I don’t know whether he will say give him all the powers to control state police. I have met many governors and we discussed. They supported state police while in power and out of power they don’t support state police.

“If you give them (governors) state police and state prisons, the opposition and social media critics will fill the prisons each time you write anything against them.

“I believe the very day state governors have the control of the police, you can’t even post critical comments on Facebook and Twitter…who are going to be in the police force? They are going to be the supporters of the governor. The political forces of the governor will be the ones recruited into the police. They will be given uniform and empowered by law to act.”