Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that Nigeria is not yet ripe for the establishment of state police as is being canvassed in some quarters.
Obasanjo, who spoke when the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Mamman Tsafe, paid him a courtesy visit in Abeokuta on Wednesday, noted that state police was susceptible to manipulation.
The ex-president's comment came against the backdrop of the ongoing public hearings on the review of the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly.
Among the key thematic areas outlined in the constitution review process is the issue of whether the Federal Government should continue to control police or the states be allowed to create their respective police organisations.
But Obasanjo said the creation of state police could be inimical to the interest and corporate existence of the country.
The former president recalled that the experiences of native police during both the pre-independence and early post-independence era were not palatable.
He expressed fears that state police, as experienced when Nigeria was practising regional government, could be used to perpetrate atrocities against perceived political opponents.
Obasanjo said, "You know I have been around for quite some time and among those who have the experience of local government police, native authority police and the atrocities they were used against opponents, not just political but economic and social opponents.
"Now we dread the idea of those days coming back. I believe what we have now, people who have maintained institutional memory will know that we didn't wake up one day to be where we are.
"Certain things lead us to where we are but nothing is static; I believe we may also be making progress and move on and get to a stage where we can say yes we are matured, we have reached a stage where even we can have city police.
"But by my own experience, with the short span of life I have as a Nigerian, we should not repeat the experience of the 50s and 60s."
Meanwhile, Tsafe, who visited various police formations in Ogun State, yesterday assured residents of adequate protection of their lives and property during the Yuletide season.
The AIG, while fielding questions from reporters in Abeokuta, stated that effective strategies had been put in place to ensure a crime-free period during and beyond the forthcoming Christmas and New Year celebration.
He said he had ascertained the level of preparedness of policemen in the zone and was confident of their capabilities.
Tsafe said, "We are strategising to make sure that robbery cases in Lagos and Ogun are reduced to barest minimum, if not totally eradicated.
"You heard of the arrests we made in Lagos, they are giving us very useful information; I want to assure the people that the Christmas will be so peaceful.
"We have really positioned our men to achieve our target, and we are patrolling black spots and other hints are being gathered, let the residents be well assured of their safety."
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