Melaye: Yahaya Bello planning to introduce state police through the back door

Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west, says Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi state, has introduced state police “through the back door”.

Speaking on the floor of the senate on Wednesday, Melaye said the vigilante service law that has already been signed by the governor is an affront to the constitution.

The senator said the law is in conflict with section 214 of the constitution that established the Nigerian police force.

“I bring to the senate a plan, action of Kogi state government to introduce state police through the back door,” Melaye said.

“This morning I bring to the senate a law passed by Kogi and signed into law by the governor that talks about the establishment service. Mr President I heard that it is a law of the government and when I went through this law, this law is in conflict with the constitution of Nigeria. This alters the law of the Nigerian police as stipulated in section 214 of the constitution.

“It is a fact that state can make laws through the state house of assembly. But the law they make must not be in conflict with the constitution. I seek your indulgence to read a section of the law passed by Kogi state government it reads: ‘The vigilante group will be involved in the prevention and detection of crimes, apprehension of criminals, preserving law and order, protection of lives and properties and will assist other paramilitary agencies in the discharge of their duty…’

“The affront to the constitution is in section 15 of that law ‘that this service can carry dane guns and other light that is commensurate with their duties’.”

He added that this was how the Maitatsine crisis started in Kano.

On his part, Emmanuel Bwacha, senator representing Taraba south, said the security situation in the country must be addressed.

“If we do not stop everything and address this matter, we will wake up one day and a country will not be there. God forbid. People are discouraged, people appear not to have confidence in our security operatives,” Bwacha said.

“Why? Because there are certain issues on ground that need to be addressed. This is no longer business as usual as representatives we must be seen to showing concern. The matter is beyond boundary of religion and ethnicity.”

Thereafter, the senate mandated its committee on intelligence to liaise with the office of the national security adviser (NSA) to assess the law.