In a recent development, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has voiced his opposition to the establishment of State Police in Nigeria. According to him, the country is not yet ready for such a system.
During a one-day dialogue on state policing, Egbetokun highlighted several reasons for his stance one of which was ethnic tension. He believes that creating state police forces could exacerbate ethnic tensions within the country, potentially leading to divided loyalties among different states.
He also said that the establishment of state police would result in multiple command structures across states, which could complicate law enforcement efforts.
Egbetokun expressed concerns that state governors might misuse state police for their political advantage, potentially leading to abuse of power and violations of human rights. The IGP argued that state governments lack the necessary funding to establish effective policing systems at the state level.
Instead of creating separate state police forces, Egbetokun proposed an alternative approach which included merging the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to form a specialized department within the existing Police Force.
Egbetokun emphasized the need for annual recruitment of approximately 30,000 police personnel to meet modern policing standards.
Additionally, he called for increased budgetary allocation to support law enforcement efforts.
