Former Commandant, Police Staff College (PSC), Jos, Plateau State, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Joseph Mbu (rtd) has described the call for state police as an invitation to anarchy.
Mbu spoke at Effraya in Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State at the weekend at a reception held in his honour by the Nigerian Youth Congress (NYC).
According to the retired police chief, it was safer for only the Federal Government to be in control of the police than to have 38 ‘authoritarian people’ – 36 states, FCT and the Presidency.
Mbu lamented that the police job was being hijacked by different people, urging those in authority to be aggressive in reclaiming the agency’s glory.
He said: “The police job is being hijacked now by every Tom, Dick and Harry. Those in authority should know what to do, be aggressive about it and restore the glory of the police.
“State police is an invitation to anarchy. It is impossible. I say so because I have been best opportuned to serve as Commissioner of Police (CP) in five states and AIG of two zones. It is better for us to have only one person who is authoritarian than to have 38. There will be anarchy.
“It is better for the Federal Government to remain in control of the police. Then, the allocation that is given to the Governors as security vote should not be looked at as though it is their right. That money is supposed to be utilised effectively by assisting the police and other security agencies in their respective states.”
“If such money get to the local government, the chairmen must use it to support the police. A situation where a local government chairman does not even know the DPO of his place cannot go well. Even at the state level where Governors send their SA on Security to be meeting or discussing with the Commissioner is very wrong. The Governors and the CPs must work together for better security. That is what they should do instead of canvassing splinter groups.”
Advising young officers to shun bribery, indiscipline, Mbu said that they should embrace God and remain committed to doing good.
“As a human being you must be determined and committed to doing the right thing. You have to do your job with passion and when you do that, God will bless you. If you want to be a courageous policeman, you must be upright.
“Young officers have heard or read about me and so if they want to be like me, they must shun corruption and indicipline. You cannot take money and fight crime.
“Once you take money, you are compromised. But if you remain firm and shun corruption, God has a way of compensating you. God has compensated me and I am very happy with that.
“I decided to join the police after my NYSC. I was serving in Jos, then, they have not established the academy. I saw them and liked their uniform and that was how I went in. I have no regrets. If given the opportunity to serve again, I will still do the things I did,” said Mbu.
