National Issues
State Policing Has My Limited Endorsement —By Chima Christian
As a matter of fact, the cost of acquiring the type of guns that can withstand the kind of threats, individuals and communities face is near punitive. If Nigeria floats gun licence as argued, I suspect that it would be easier for terrorists to get more arms, than for farmers and indigenous land owners, for example, to do so.
The state policing as proposed during the last NEC meeting has my limited endorsement. I however understand the fears of those opposing it. They are worried that state governors may abuse the institutions. This is a legitimate fear to have given the quality of civil society spaces we have at the state levels.
I have made an hour long video where I outlined a number of the possible concerns around state policing, and how we might mitigate them. That video can be found here: https://rb.gy/8bl796 Alternatively, one can listen to the recording of the X Spaces session here: https://rb.gy/pczman
I find it instructive that those who oppose state policing do so principally because, according to them, state governors cannot be trusted with such powers. The irony is that those who hold this view on one hand also advocate for arming the people to “defend themselves” on the other.
If we fear that the governors might abuse a legally set-up state institution and appropriate it for their own good, how much so do we think they can do to a cluster of individuals without a proper accountability structure who run around with licensed guns?
If we can’t trust the Federal Government to live up to its responsibility of protecting the citizens, and we can’t trust the state governments to have such an opportunity to protect their citizens, I find it difficult to be convinced to jump the queue and trust the people with guns at this time.
As a matter of fact, the cost of acquiring the type of guns that can withstand the kind of threats, individuals and communities face is near punitive. If Nigeria floats gun licence as argued, I suspect that it would be easier for terrorists to get more arms, than for farmers and indigenous land owners, for example, to do so.
By the mercies of God, I’ll share an 8-minute video tomorrow analysing what kind of threats state policing structures are likely to face, and the kind of equipment needed to wade off those threats.
Africa’s morning is at hand.
Chima Christian
