Police (1) :Another call for state police

We always seem to go around in circles,when very simple solutions apply. I just read the maiden address by the new Inspector General of Police Mr. Ogbonna Onovo and I can't help but wonder.

These types of lofty speeches are never lacking anytime there's a change at the helm of the Nigeria Police force (NPF),but what is also constant is an increase in crime. So no matter what the 'new' IG says,everyone knows crime will not come down anytime soon. The reason for this isn't because the IG wishes it so,or because the men & officers of the NPF are inept(although most Nigerians may tend to think so),its simply a structural problem. Policing ,like all serious departments of government goes hand in hand with accountability,and the further away,this(accountability) is from the relevant communities they serve,the worse of for all concerned.

Its just like my previous post on the almighty federal government,we can't have effective policing until we have State police and if possible local government police. Changing the IG, 5 times in nine years or recruiting another 100,000 into the police will not solve the problem.

The state governors and local governments MUST have a say on how their areas of responsibilities are policed,lets stop theis TOP-DOWN way of doing things.

Opponenents of this idea have said things like 'The governors will use them for their political end '. . .this of course begs the response,how has the federal government being using the current NPF? Afterall the 2007 (s)elections are still fresh in our memories,and the recent Ekiti governorship saga is yet another example of abuse of police power.

I sometimes wonder why we have so many bills being discussed and passed at the National Assembly when obviously there's no viable organ of government to enforce implementation?

A state governor recently asked a pertinent question -'why would we have state courts with no state police'?

I would go a step further to ask for state prisons(story for another day).

So the solution:
1. Lets brainstorm on how to put in place a viable state police,largely immune from abuse,while retaining a Federal unit in the mould of the FBI,EFCC to investigate and prosecute inter state and federal crimes.
2.The state/local IG should be answerable to the governor/local government chairman ,but appointed/fired only by either the state/local legislature or universal suffrage.
3.Funding should come directly from the state.

The above while not complete in itself would certainly ensure career minded members of the publice could aspire to this great profession of keeping our people safe and ensure we don't keep going around in circles. . . .