…declares Force irredeemably corrupt, ineffective, not protective of citizens
. Throws his weight behind creation of state police
Samuel Adesola, Abuja
Retired Army officer, General Ishola Williams, has advanced reasons why the Nigeria Police Force should be scrapped by the Federal Government.
General Williams argued that the current structure of the Nigeria Police Force had become obsolete, outdated and deserved to be scrapped.
The renowned security expert also said that the current policing system had become irredeemably corrupt, ineffective and incapable of protecting Nigerians.
General Williams spoke as a guest on Inside Sources, an interview programme anchored on Channels Television by Laolu Akande.
The retired Army General, who resigned his commission from the Nigerian Armed Forces in protest against the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by Chief MKO Abiola, cited pervasive corruption, brutality and inefficiency ravaging the police as reasons why the force should be completely scrapped.
He added that extant instances of gross misconduct by police personnel such as extrajudicial killing of citizens, extortion and other corrupt practices as well as collusion by some operatives with criminal elements would make the scrapping of the force justifiable.
General Williams said rather than reforming the existing police structure, a complete overhaul of the force should be done with a view to putting in place a more community-oriented and accountable security apparatus.
He restated the call for a fundamental rethinking of Nigeria’s policing strategy, urging policymakers to consider his proposal seriously and to convene a national dialogue on the future of policing in Nigeria.
“The security of our citizens is paramount. We need a policing system that is accountable, effective, and trusted by the people it serves. The time for bold action is now,” he said.
According to him, “If you have been doing something for over 10 years and it is not working, you should change tactics. If you don’t change the doctrine and the tactics, you will never be able to deal with the problem.”
He further underscored the importance of managing public safety from the grassroots level, noting that crime prevention is a more effective crime control system.
“That is why we need state police, that is why we need local government police, because where do they kidnap people if not in communities?”
Williams therefore recommended a replacement of the Nigeria Police Force with a Crime Intelligence and Criminal Agency, which would operate like the FBI in the United States.
He also called for the creation of a para-military police force, which would operate like the original mobile police, while border agencies too should be strengthened.
The security expert reiterated that public safety must be handled with the bottom-up approach because crime prevention is a much better crime control system.
“That is why we need the state police, that is why we need the local government police, because where do they kidnap people if not communities?”
“Scrap the present Nigeria Police and create Crime Intelligence and Criminal Agency. What do they do? They will act like the FBI (the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States).
“You then create a para-military police. People forget that the mobile police was created as a para-military police.
“With a good para-military police and border agencies, you don’t need the military; the military can now concentrate in the North-East,” he added.
He said this is imperative because the current structure of the Nigeria Police Force could no longer adequately meet the security needs of Nigerians.
“The structure is completely outdated but the police will never agree. Not only the police but the military,” he said.
