By Eze Okechukwu, Abuja

The Senator representing Benue North East at the National Assembly, Senator Udende Memsa Emmanuel has explained that the crazy mentality of some Nigerian politicians, especially the Governors remained the reason he is opposed to the creation of state police.

Speaking with newsmen in his office at the National Assembly yesterday, Senator Udende who was the Deputy House Committee Chairman on Police Affairs during the previous dispensation pointed out that the mentality of most political elites in Nigeria was low, so if they had state police they would use it to harass and intimidate political opponents.

The Senator, a lawyer by profession however said that community policing, where youths from various communities get the opportunity in equal measures to join the federal police and be posted in their respective localities remained the best policing option for Nigeria at the moment.

Recall that senator Udende had earlier in the day moved a motion seeking the Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police Force to adhere to the Federal Character Principle in the recruitment of Constables into the Nigeria Police Force, stressing that both entities should ensure the recruitment of at least 10 personnel from each of the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria.

He said such a measure would entrench unity, harmony and the spirit of community policing rather than bickering and suspicion which had become the order of the day after each police recruitment exercise across the country.

He noted that the underlying philosophy of the federal character principle was to provide equality of access in public service representation to curb dominance by one or few sections of the country either in the federal, state or local government, saying otherwise it would create lopsidedness.

“I will, in the interim, oppose the creation of State Police. As you know, most of our political leaders, especially those Governors are crazy, they have mad attitudes to issues and low comprehension ability to the principles of fair play. They will abuse the good intentions of the spirit of State Police, use it to harass and intimidate not just their political opponents but anyone who goes against their thoughts and aspirations.

“In place of State Police, I’m for Community policing under the supervision and control of the federal government. This is the best approach for now in my opinion. To this effect, I moved a motion on the floor of the Senate earlier urging the Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police Force to recruit at least 10 persons from each local government area in Nigeria in the spirit of the federal character principle. Such personnel could be posted within the local government areas and that’s community policing pure and clear. If they do that for 10 years, would we still be talking about State Police?, he queried.

However, his motion was supported by the Senate Minority leader, Abba Moro of Benue South senatorial district, senator Titus Zam of Benue North West and senator Bassey Ekong of Cross River North, making the deputy senate president, Jibrin Barau who presided over the plenary yesterday adopt the motion and consequently directing the Committee on Police Affairs and legislative compliance to ensure compliance as well as directing the police authorities to recruit at least 10 persons each across the 774 local government areas of Nigeria.