 We're glad to know you're still there. It's the breakfast on Plus TV Africa. We've been talking about state police for a very long time and now we know that the bill is at the National Assembly. What we're talking about today is that this bill denies governor sweeping powers over state police. Joining us to X-ray this is a security expert, Mr. Augustine Ega. Good morning and welcome to the program, Mr. Ega. Hello, good morning. Good morning. It's a pleasure to meet you this morning. Okay. It's our pleasure as well. The question is just a brief overview. We've seen that the bill has been taken to the National Assembly, but we now understand that the governors do not have absolute power on the security outfit, the state security or state police as we call it all that. So what is your take on the fact that the governors will not have absolute control? Okay. Can I repeat my question now? Okay, fine. The bill to create state police has reached the National Assembly, but we understand the provisions of this bill have it that the governors do not have absolute powers over the state police. What is your take as a security expert? Well, as usual, I don't see the governor ready to factor security, because security is not something which we play politics with, knowing that there are so many events that are happening in Nigeria. The economy of the country has been brought down in some aspects of Nigeria because of its security. So for the government to begin to drag on this with the governor, I think it's not right. State police is state police, federal police is federal police, which we just said this very quick. I know from my own take, I think they are afraid that some states might exact this for their own private advantage. But I don't think that's the right way. We are seeing this. I have seen this in the Southwest, especially the motorcycle that they have, you know, your state, the most in the capital of the motorcycle. It is increasing very well. The governor, the governor is in charge and you see that they are very strict in every response that they have. They are achieving a lot with the list that they have. So they should allow them to decide on this. Federal will have their own state where it's necessary. But to avoid bureaucracy in security operations, it is better the allow government to pull up on this. Okay. So like for instance, now with this bill, it's saying that the commission of police would have the ultimate rights for this. Now, if you look at the federal police, obviously it's the idea of police that is at the helm of affairs, although the president can actually direct or instruct him on what to do. So now with the commission of police being here, isn't that still coming from the idea of police and by bypassing the governor of the state? The everything. I'm not very happy. Yes, we can. Yes, I don't think I don't see that as a problem. I don't see anything working as a problem because it's like managing everything. I would see all the state that I'm talking about a government. It is critical that they manage like every other kind of business. You have people that you must make up with in order to make it work. I don't have a problem having even if it's a state police, they are saying I'm going to have a commission of police. But from wherever they are borrowing this system from, I mean the federal system that we practice in Nigeria, they should borrow everything and do it for police. We have this open in the US very well. They have even the state police, they have federal police, and they have the sheriff's open at the local level. And they know when to escalate every matter to every office. So what we have seen is not something new. It's not something new at all. But they are just trying to fix it with everything. In fact, what they are going from what they are doing now, it seems that they are not ready to deal with security issues. And that is my take on this. The government is not ready. In fact, they are comfortable with the security that's happening in Nigeria. Okay. If you have seen this bill, whether you have not seen it or not, but what are some of your concerns in this bill, things that you think should have been part of this bill, or should not have been part of this bill if you were to advise the government at this moment? What I will say is that it's the same kind of bureaucracy that we have had in the past. When they grant this bill to the national assembly, they want to delay on it. They are not comfortable with it. Some persons are not comfortable with this bill. After they want to delay, you see that they will delay it onto the lead government. So my take is that they should allow this with the state government. There's a way they can call me. But not that everything should channel through them. They should allow the state government to organize it. Like I said, there's a case in the south west to be particular on your state. They are doing very well on this. If some of this should be consulted, how have they gone far? And then even go to it and then see how they can bring other states to copy from this. That's my take on it. So some people would argue that if the state governors are the ones running the affairs, then they can just abuse power. For instance, if someone is not doing my bidding, since I control the state's will, I can decide to harass the person. I can decide to jail the person or do whatever I can because obviously I'm the chief security officer of the state. So are you not, isn't that a worry for you? Or isn't that a concern? And if for instance, we also give absolute power to the state governors, then how can we curb this? How can we make sure that the state governors will be at the helm of the affairs, but then would not abuse power? No matter what the state government, they don't appreciate in autonomy, they still report to the federal level. No matter what every state government is doing, there is a place where they connect with the state government, sorry the federal government. And at this point of coming, this kind of state police, I am very concerned. I am very concerned that yes, even now that we have the federal police working, they are still, they are from state governors that are still abusing the rights. They are still doing it. So by this deal, we don't say that this deal just goes to a break. Without the federal government or the state government networking with the state government, the federal government to get some direction. But what means I am very, very concerned with is the delays that will come over them. Is the delays that will come over them, we will not get it. We already in a very critical situation. This will be done in a very quickly. That's what I am looking at. I do know that in all of these private security outfits will also have a role to play, because no matter how much the government invests in security in private individuals and communities are not involved, it might be a problem. I hope that you also have a place in this bill to contribute your quota to our security in Nigeria. Yes. I think this deal will help, because every private security operates within a location in the state. And so that the bulk of the new security problem happens in the state and happens in a particular locality. That is the reason. I feel that, like we have always said that as long as security, private security is deployed in every area, they have a model of intelligence of criminality happening within the neighborhood, within the area, and then they cover. So this deal will make it easier for them to have a handshake with the private or the state police that will be working hand in hand, so that they can quickly process crime and then limit every security within that area. Okay. Well, this is where we have to wrap it up. Mr. Edgar, thank you so much for coming and sharing your thoughts this morning with us. Thank you. Thank you. We've been talking with Mr. Austin Edgar, who is a security expert. We were looking at the fact that this new bill on state police gives, doesn't give absolute pass to the state governors, and his major concern was that there's been a delay, and there may be a continuous delay until maybe this tent assembly leaves office as it is. But we do hope that things will be hastened up and we will have state police and possibly solve part of our security problems in Nigeria. But eventually, this is also where we need to wrap up. Yes, this is where we draw the courts in on the show. It's been a pleasure being with you this morning. Thank you for being a part of our show. My name is Nyam Goul, Edgar. My name is Rumeh Paulsen. Have an amazing day.