JUST IN: Nigeria Not Ready For State Police – IGP

• IGP opposes State Police, citing ethnic tension and divided loyalty.

• Suggests merging NSCDC and FRSC into Police Force; recommends yearly recruitment of 30,000 personnel.

• Raises concerns about possible abuse of power by Governors and inadequate funding for state policing.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun has opposed the establishment of State Police, saying the country was not ripe for it.

Speaking at a one day dialogue on state policing, Egbetokun said the establishment of state Police will exacerbate ethnic tension, leading to divided loyalty in the States.

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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 Governors were 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 the State Government lacked required funding that will give birth to the type of policing that the nation requires.

Rather than establishing state police, he recommended the merging 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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He also said there was the need for a yearly recruitment of about 30,000 police personnel into the Force annually to meet the UN requirements for modern policing, while also increasing annual budgetary allocation to the Force.

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