Emergency Rule in Benue a Temporary Solution – Prof Shilga Urges Tinubu to Prioritize Constitutional Reforms

Professor Leonard Karshima Shilga, a renowned political commentator, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to dismiss suggestions for a declaration of emergency rule in Benue State. He argued that such a measure, while potentially offering short-term relief, may severely damage public confidence in democratic institutions if taken without fully exploring constitutional options.

Prof Shilga voiced his concern in a public statement on Tuesday, following the alarming wave of violent attacks in various communities across Benue allegedly perpetrated by suspected herdsmen.

In his open letter titled “A Constitutional and Moral Rebuttal to the Call for Emergency Rule in Benue State”, the academic contended that constitutional restrictions often render governors powerless during security crises. He emphasized the need for President Tinubu to address these structural ambiguities and clarify the roles of governors in matters of internal security.

He pointed out that in many instances, federal security agencies either disregard or undermine state laws. According to him, the authority vested in governors to direct state police commissioners is largely ineffective due to the federal government’s overriding influence.

Prof Shilga’s Recommendations for Resolving Benue’s Security Challenges

To address the insecurity in Benue, Prof Shilga urged the president to:

• Amend Section 215(4) of the Constitution to eliminate the blanket override powers of the president or ministers, or at least define clearly when such overrides are justifiable.
• Define the role of governors as “Chief Security Officers” in operational terms, granting them full control over security within their states unless a formal emergency is declared.
• Empower the National Assembly to implement constitutional reforms that will allow the formation of dual policing structures, including both federal and state police forces. He proposed the amendment of Sections 214 to 216 and relevant parts of the Constitution’s second schedule to facilitate this.
• Retain the federal police for addressing inter-state crimes and national-level threats while mandating effective coordination between federal and state forces.
• Authorize states to create State Security Trust Funds, guided by accountability principles set by the National Assembly, to financially support local policing efforts.
• Encourage the Benue State government to pursue legislation that will legitimize informal security groups such as “Anyam Nyor.” He also recommended inter-state collaborations to form zonal security alliances, aligning with Sections 5 and 8 of the Constitution with federal approval.
• Establish civil-military liaison offices at the state level to enhance cooperation with federal security bodies.
• Enable state legislatures to recognize and regulate vigilante and community-based security outfits, similar to the Amotekun initiative in the Southwest and Ebubeagu in the Southeast, while advocating for their federal recognition.

Prof Shilga further encouraged the President to foster a stronger partnership between federal and state security agencies to improve intelligence sharing and boost operational effectiveness.

He concluded by emphasizing the need for more robust support and funding for local security outfits to advance community policing across the state.