The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun believes the country is not “mature” for state policing despite the myriad of security challenges facing it.
He addressed attendees on Monday at a national dialogue on state police held in Abuja, focusing on the theme ‘Pathways to Peace: Reimagining Policing in Nigeria’.
“On the issue of state police, it is the submission of the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) that Nigeria is not yet mature and ready for the establishment of state-controlled police,” the IGP, represented by AIG Ben Okolo, said at the event organised by the Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas.
The IGP argued among other factors, that “there is the potential for abuse of power by the state political leadership.
“State governors could use the police forces under their control for political or personal gain and undermine human rights and security.
“There would also be a conflict of jurisdiction,” he said.
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He proposed alternative measures to enhance the effectiveness of the police force in ensuring the country’s security.
“First, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety to form a department under the Nigerian police,” he said.
The police chief emphasized the importance of increasing the annual recruitment of officers and providing additional training for police personnel, among other measures, as crucial steps toward enhancing Nigeria’s security.
At the gathering, which saw the participation of several prominent figures in the country, former President Goodluck Jonathan asserted that despite the prevailing challenges, the establishment of state police is now a “non-negotiable” necessity. He argued that the rise in incidents such as kidnapping underscores the urgent need for state police in modern Nigeria.
In addition to Jonathan’s remarks, Vice President Kashim Shettima, representing President Bola Tinubu, reiterated the administration’s commitment to reforming and strengthening the police force. He expressed the President’s willingness to consider recommendations stemming from the national dialogue.