By Lawrence Agbo
The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has called on the Federal Government and the National Assembly to adopt a more cautious approach to the proposed establishment of state police, warning that the reform could be vulnerable to political abuse if implemented without adequate constitutional safeguards.
Speaking on Friday, the party’s Deputy National Chairman, Nweze Onu, said although the NNPP supports decentralised policing as a solution to Nigeria’s security challenges, the current pace of the legislative process raises concerns, particularly with the 2027 general elections approaching.
According to Onu, reforms of such national significance should emerge from broad public consultation and consensus rather than political expediency.
“The speed with which this far-reaching legislation was passed has created the impression that critical national issues relating to accountability, oversight, funding, operational independence, and constitutional safeguards were not given the exhaustive public scrutiny they deserve,” he said.
He argued that the proximity of the proposed state police framework to the next general election makes it necessary to examine whether governors could deploy the new security structure to intimidate political opponents, suppress dissent or influence electoral outcomes.
The NNPP chieftain warned that security institutions lacking sufficient independence and oversight have historically been susceptible to political manipulation.
Onu also referenced existing regional security outfits, including Amotekun and Ebubeagu, noting that debates surrounding their operations have highlighted concerns about accountability, professionalism and alleged abuses.
Rather than rushing into nationwide implementation, he urged the Federal Government to first assess the performance of existing state-backed security organisations before expanding policing powers.
“Security reform must strengthen the rights and freedoms of Nigerians—not weaken them,” Onu stated, adding that any state police framework should include clear constitutional guarantees on operational independence, transparent recruitment, judicial oversight, independent complaints mechanisms and strict sanctions against political misuse.
He further called for wider national consultations and stronger institutional safeguards to ensure the proposed policing structure promotes justice, public confidence and democratic governance.
The NNPP’s position comes amid renewed national debate over state police, following President Bola Tinubu’s constitutional amendment bill seeking to empower states to establish and operate their own police services. Lawmakers and other stakeholders have maintained that the proposed legislation contains measures to prevent abuse by state governments.
(The Sun)