Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State and the state chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) have expressed opposing views on the proposed creation of state police in Nigeria.
Both parties made their positions known over the weekend during the two-day public hearing of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution for the North Central Zone, held in Jos, Plateau State.
The call for state police as a solution to Nigeria's pressing security challenges has become a highly debated issue, with advocates and critics divided over its merits and potential risks.
For over two decades, Plateau State has witnessed recurring clashes between herders and farmers, leading to significant loss of lives and property. Both groups continue to trade accusations over attacks on their respective communities.
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Speaking at the public hearing, Governor Mutfwang advocated for the creation of state police, among other constitutional reforms.
He stressed the importance of empowering state governments to establish their police forces, arguing that an "independent state police" would help address the unique security threats faced by states like Plateau.
The governor said that despite various security strategies implemented by successive federal administrations, both hard and soft targets continue to suffer brazen attacks by non-state armed groups.
He said Nigeria is increasingly struggling to provide basic security guarantees for its citizens.
However, in its submission to the committee, the herding community expressed strong reservations about the proposed creation of state police, warning that state policing could be weaponised by political leaders to marginalise minorities.
The group, under the banner of the Coalition of Fulani Registered Organisations, Plateau State Chapter, submitted a memorandum signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Garba Abdullahi Muhammad and Adam Yakubu.
They called on the National Assembly and President Bola Tinubu to reject the state police bill outright.
They said the federal government should instead focus on strengthening the existing federal police, which, despite its flaws, is still preferable to localised policing prone to ethnic and political bias.
"We, as a community, are not in support of the creation of state police because it would expose our communities to discrimination, harassment, and abuse by ethnically biased local police units," they said in the memorandum.
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The group further argued that if the state police proposal must be adopted, the constitution must include robust federal oversight, independent complaint mechanisms, and enforceable anti-discrimination provisions.
