The Nigeria Police Force has opposed the establishment of state police, saying the country was not ripe for such.
Speaking at a one day dialogue on state policing, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun said the establishment of state police will exacerbate ethnic tension, leading to divided loyalty in the states.
Represented by AIG Ben Okolo, the Inspector General of Police said the establishment of state police will also lead to multiple command structures in the states.
He also said that state governors are likely to abuse the privilege of state police by using it for political gains, leading to possible abuse of power and abuse of huma rights.
He argued that the state government lack thereof required funding that will give birth to the type of policing that the nation requires.
Rather than establishing state police, he recommend the merging of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Federal Road Safety Commission to form a department in the Nigeria Police Force.
He also said there is the need for a yearly recruitment of about 30,000 police personnel into the force annually to meet the UN requirements for morden policing, while also increasing annual budgetary allocation to the force.
The Nigerian Police and other security agencies in Nigeria have shown lack of the capacity to contain the rising spate insecurity in the country. If setting up the state Police will help mitigate the pace of insecurity in Nigeria, I think it should be allowed. It’s life first before governance