We won’t abuse state police, says Bauchi gov

Mohammed Abubakar, governor of Bauchi state, says his colleagues will not abuse state police.

Abubakar said this after a dialogue on ethical values and national security at the state house conference centre, Abuja.

On Monday, the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) said the creation of state police will assist in tackling the high rate of insecurity in the country.

Asked if governors will not abuse state police, he said: “I do not think so.

“The nation is a federation, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides for a federal system. And in a federal system, the federating units are all independent in their own sphere of influence.

“We copied the constitution from the American constitution and if you go to US, you will discover that there is the county police, state police and then federal police.

“If we are going to engender true federalism, that is probably the beginning.’’

He said people usually have certain perceptions about such concepts.

“There will always be fears but we should not think in terms of individuals in Nigeria, that is our bane, we should think in terms of developing institutions. When we develop institutions and the plain truth, they take care of the indiscretions of individuals,” Abubakar said.

“We came for a dialogue on ethics and integrity of service and the launching of a compendium on the life and times of Mr. President and the service he has rendered to the nation, from the time he joined the army to date.

“Well, this compendium was conceived well before the consideration for 2019 election. It is a factual compendium not politics. The dialogue is the first thing in addressing the problems of the nation, the need for us to forge unity, to consider the challenges affecting the nation without unnecessarily overheating the nation.”