A retired senior police officer, DSP Adamu M. Muhammad (Rtd), has warned that establishing state police in Nigeria without first addressing the problems facing the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) could worsen insecurity and threaten national unity.
Muhammad spoke to DAILY POST following the Senate’s passage of a bill seeking to establish state police across the country.
In the exclusive interview, he said although growing insecurity has renewed calls for state police, the proposal does not address the real issues affecting policing in Nigeria.
According to him, “Creating State Police at this moment poses serious risks to national stability, internal security and the safety of law-abiding citizens.”
The retired officer argued that successive governments had weakened the Nigeria Police Force through years of neglect, poor funding and the transfer of key policing responsibilities to other agencies.
He said critical institutions such as the DSS, FRSC and EFCC were created to perform duties that were originally handled by police departments, while police assets, including barracks, land and operational vehicles, had allegedly been sold without improving the Force.
Muhammad also lamented the poor welfare of police officers, saying many personnel buy their own uniforms and equipment, while divisional commands receive little operational funding.
He questioned the logic behind creating separate state police organisations when the federal government had failed to adequately fund the existing national police force.
“If the Federal Government has abandoned its statutory responsibility to a single constitutionally created police force, why should anyone believe that creating multiple state-controlled forces will fare better?”
The retired DSP further warned that Nigeria’s political environment could make state police vulnerable to abuse by governors and political actors.
He said the country’s history of political patronage, election violence and the use of local security outfits raised concerns that state police could become tools for intimidation and political control.
Muhammad also argued that creating separate police organisations in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, could result in inconsistent standards, jurisdictional conflicts and weaken coordination against crimes such as terrorism, kidnapping and cybercrime.
Instead of creating state police, he urged the government to focus on strengthening the Nigeria Police Force through better funding, improved welfare, modern equipment, expanded community policing, recruitment of more officers and stronger oversight.
“Nigeria’s immediate priority should be the comprehensive reform, professionalisation, modernisation and adequate funding of the existing Nigeria Police Force.”
He maintained that a stronger and better-funded national police force remains “the most practical and sustainable foundation for safeguarding security, preserving constitutional order and maintaining national unity.”
Credit: DAILYPOST
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