Former Inspector-General of Police, Mike Okiro, has blamed the growing calls for state police on the poor state of the Nigeria Police Force, describing it as underfunded, understaffed and ill-equipped.
Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television on Monday, Okiro said the force was “badly disorganised, disenchanted, demoralised, unstaffed, ill-equipped, ill-trained.”
According to him, the clamour for state police stems from the inability of the federal police to effectively perform its duties.
“You see, if the police are well-equipped, nobody would talk about state police,” Okiro said.
He maintained that inadequate funding, rather than the policing structure itself, remained the force’s biggest challenge.
“Funding is a major problem. People talk about state police because federal police have failed. If they succeed, they won’t talk about it,” he added.
Okiro also highlighted the poor condition of police infrastructure nationwide, noting that manpower shortages have forced many police stations to shut down.
“Funding. Poorly staffed. Most police stations are closed down. No manpower,” he said.
His remarks come amid renewed debate over the proposed establishment of state police following the passage of a State Police Bill by the National Assembly.
The proposal has attracted differing opinions. Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has argued that state police alone will not solve Nigeria’s security challenges without addressing issues such as unemployment, while Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi has urged the Federal Government to postpone implementation until after the 2027 general election, citing concerns it could be used against political opponents.
Okiro has previously supported the decentralisation of policing but cautioned that Nigeria may not yet be prepared for 36 separate state police forces, suggesting a regional or geopolitical zone-based policing model as a more practical alternative.