Inspector-general of police warns against creating state forces saying the process will be abused

INSPECTOR-general of police Olukayode Egbetokun has dampened expectations of Nigeria moving towards the creation of state police forces soon pointing out that the country is not yet politically mature enough for such a development.

Over recent years, Nigeria has been plagued with insecurity as kidnapping, armed robbery, attacks by armed Fulani cattle herdsmen and communal violence wrack the nation. This had led to calls for state police forces to be allowed so governors have the capacity to combat the problems locally but there are fears that if such bodies are introduced, Nigeria's 36 governors will use them as private armies to settle political scores and deal with opponents.

Echoing these thoughts, Mr Egbetokun stated that the establishment of state police forces would exacerbate ethnic tension, leading to divided loyalty in the states. Speaking during a one-day dialogue on state policing, themed Pathways to Peace: Reimagining Policing in Nigeria’ on Monday, he said the country is not yet ripe for such a development.

Mr Egbetokun added: “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. State governors could use the police forces under their control for political or personal gain and undermine human rights and security and there would also be a conflict of jurisdiction."

He also argued the state governments lacked the required funding that would give birth to the type of policing that the nation requires. Mr Egbetokun, suggested the alternative option of the need for a yearly recruitment of about 30,000 police personnel into the NPF annually to meet the UN requirements for modern policing, while also increasing annual budgetary allocation to the force.

Rather than establishing state police across the country, he recommended merging the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Federal Road Safety Commission to form departments in the Nigeria Police Force. Organised by the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the dialogue is the beginning of deliberations on Nigeria's constitution.

An establishment of State Police bill sponsored by the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu and 13 others, was debated as part of the dialogue. Their bill was designed to improve public safety and strengthen law enforcement in Nigeria by decentralising the police.

Proposals in the bill provide for state police alongside the federal police and outline a constitutional framework for states that choose to establish and maintain their own police service. Nigerians remain under-served with the current policing system as there are about 371,000 police officers to 223m citizens, with about two-thirds of them are deployed to protect VIPs.