IGP Egbetokun opposes state police, says Nigeria isn't ripe enough

The Nigeria Police Force has opposed creating state police, asserting that the country isn't ready for such a system.

During a one-day discussion on state policing, Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun expressed concerns that state police would escalate ethnic tensions, potentially fostering divided loyalties within states.

AIG Ben Okolo, representing the Inspector General, further elaborated that implementing state police would introduce multiple command structures, complicating law enforcement efforts.

Additionally, there are fears that state governors could misuse their authority over state police for personal or political gain, risking abuses of power and human rights violations.

Egbetokun argued that state governments lack the funding and infrastructure to support the kind of policing needed at the national level.

According to The Nation, the police chief stated that instead of creating a separate state police force, he suggested combining the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps with the Federal Road Safety Commission to create a new department within the Nigeria Police Force.

He emphasised the importance of recruiting 30,000 police officers every year to fulfil modern policing standards set by the UN, alongside boosting the annual budget allocated to the police force.

President Bola Tinubu and State Governors [X, formerly Twitter] State Police Pulse Nigeria

State governors accord on state policing

Earlier in February, state governors endorsed the creation of state police due to incessant cases of insecurity nationwide.

This resolution was reached between governors in a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday, February 15, 2024, in Abuja.

Following the meeting, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the FG and the governors agreed on the necessity of state policing.

He added that more meetings would be held to discuss the modalities of achieving the idea.

House of Representatives [Facebook] State Police Pulse Nigeria

State Police Bill makes progress in House of Reps

Subsequently, the House of Representatives deliberated on the State Police Act, which passed its second reading the following week after President Tinubu's meeting with state governors.

Hon. Benjamin Kalu and 12 others sponsored the bill.

According to him, the bill emerged as a necessary response to several calls for a decentralised and community-oriented approach to law enforcement.