Respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana has said that President Muhammadu Buhari lacked the power to create state and local government police.
Falana said this in a statement in reaction to the submission of the report of the Presidential Panel on Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Reform to Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday.
The panel recommended, among others, the creation of state and local government police for effective policing of the country.
Executive Secretary of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Chairman of the panel, Anthony Ojukwu submitted the report to the president.
However, Falana said that creation of state and LG police was a constitutional matter that Buhari could not make a unilateral decision on.
Falana said that the National Assembly would need to amend the constitution to allow creation of state police.
In the terse statement, the senior lawyer said, “Issue of state police is a constitutional one; there must be an amendment of the constitution in order for the president to approve the recommendation of the National Human Rights Commission.
“The president cannot single-handedly give approval for the establishment of state police.”
Read Also: “Gbajabiamila is not the best option for Arewa future interest” – Group warns Northern leaders