Nigeria not yet ripe for state police – IGP

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, on Monday expressed reservation about the establishment of state police in Nigeria.

Egbetokun, who spoke at a one-day dialogue on state policing held in Abuja, argued that Nigeria was not ripe for state police.

He stressed that establishment of state police would further exacerbate ethnic tension leading to divided loyalty in the states.

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Represented at the event by AIG Ben Okolo, the IGP said the establishment of state police would also lead to multiple command structures in the states with governors likely to abuse the privilege of state police by using it for political gains.

He noted that state governments lacked the required funding that would give birth to the type of policing that the nation requires.

The IGP, however, recommended that rather than establishing state police, the government should consider the merger of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to form a department in the Police Force.

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