State Assembly Speakers Endorse State Policing
This development comes in the wake of opposition from the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, who had previously rejected the call for state police. The IGP expressed his views in April during a national dialogue on state police organized by the House of Representatives in Abuja. The dialogue, themed ‘Pathways to Peace: Reimagining Policing in Nigeria,’ saw the IGP, represented by Assistant Inspector-General of Police Ben Okolo, state that Nigeria is not mature enough for the establishment of state-controlled police forces.
“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,” Egbetokun said.
The IGP also expressed concerns that state governors might misuse state police for political or personal gain, potentially leading to the abuse of power and human rights. He highlighted the risks of conflicts of jurisdiction and the undermining of security.
“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 noted.
Despite these concerns, the endorsement by the 36 state assembly speakers marks a significant step towards the constitutional provision for state policing, reflecting a broader push for decentralized law enforcement mechanisms to address security challenges at the state level.