Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal government on Friday received the report of the committee on recommendations for the establishment of state policing with a promise for speedy implementation of the recommendations which include alternative funding mechanism and deployment of technology for intelligence gathering.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, who received the report on Friday from the 14-member committee, chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Special Services Offices (SSO), Dr. Amina Shamaki, who completed the assignment in four months instead of the stipulated two months, assured the recommendations would studied for quick implementation.
The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, who witnessed the report presentation, stressed that the time had come for community policing to be implemented, saying “we have been waiting for the report. Policing should be driven from community and not uniformed police.”
Buhari had directed the immediate commencement of the implementation of community policing strategy across the country.
Mustapha said President Buhari had tasked the Senior Executive Course 40, 2018 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru to undertake a study of the rising insecurity in Nigeria.
According to him, the theme of the study was “Strengthening policing in Nigeria: Policing options and strategies,” pointing out that the scope of the study focused on ways of invigorating the internal security system and it covered the period from 1999 to 2018.
Mustapha said the report noted some factors militating against comprehensive internal security framework and community policing in Nigeria.
He listed the factors to include poor policy linkages, multiplicity and poor implementation of policies, centralised control of the police force, weak monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
Others were poor application of technology and innovation, absence of integrated database to aid internal security management, poor budgetary allocation to the security sector as well as lack of confidence and trust in the country’s security agencies by the Nigerian public.
The committee’s terms of reference were: To study and analyse the findings; recommendations and implementation strategies of the Presidential Parley Report by NIPPS and come up with policy statement for the consideration of the president.
Other members of the committee were Mrs. Beatrice Jeddy-Agb, Mrs. Odunbanjo Adebisi, Sanusi Galadim, Brig Gen JO Ochai and Cdre J. N Mamman.
Others were Air Cdre AH Bakari, AIG David O.Folawiyo, Jimat Bakare, CP Olayinka Balogun, Dr. E.O. Adeoye, Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, Prof. Sani Abubakar Lugga, Dr. Nasirudeen Usman, and Tukur Yahaya, who acted as Secretary of the committee.
