A Nigerian political scientist and academic, Professor Jibrin Ibrahim, has cautioned against placing the proposed state police under the direct control of state governors.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Saturday, Ibrahim warned that allowing governors to control state police could undermine the expected benefits of the initiative and open the door to abuse of power.
He argued that governors might deploy such security outfits against political opponents rather than criminals.
According to him, while the constitutional argument for state police is based on Nigeria’s federal structure — which allows federating units to establish security institutions within their jurisdictions — placing the forces under governors’ control could be dangerous.
Ibrahim noted that the current political environment in many states raises concerns that state police could be used to suppress opposition and entrench political power rather than improve security.
“The idea of state policing is worrisome, and if they are established under the control of state governments, we may be heading for trouble,” he said.
He also questioned the rationale behind creating state police if they would remain under the authority of the Nigeria Police Force.
His comments come after Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, inaugurated a seven-member steering committee on the establishment of state police in Nigeria, to be chaired by Professor Olu Ogunsakin, a scholar of police studies.
The IGP said decentralising policing would enable state and local authorities to respond more effectively to security challenges within their jurisdictions.
President Bola Tinubu has repeatedly pledged to establish state police as part of broader efforts to address insecurity. He recently asked the National Assembly to amend the 1999 Constitution to create the legal framework for the initiative, a process lawmakers have already begun.
