By Abimbola Ogunnaike
Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has kicked against creation mof state police, insisting that Nigeria is not “mature” for state police.
Egbetokun said this at a national dialogue on state police organised by the House of Representatives in Abuja, on Monday, 22 April, 2024.
The theme of the dialogue is ‘Pathways to Peace: Reimagining Policing in Nigeria”.
The IGP, who was represented by Ben Okolo, an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, said the leadership of the force has resolved that country is yet to be ripe for that.
According to him, since the force has made a stand, Nigeria is not ready for the establishment of state police.
“It is the submission of the leadership of the Nigeria police force that Nigeria is yet to mature and ready for the establishment of state-controlled police,” the top cop said.
Egbetokun also proposed that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) should be merged to become a department in the police.
“In view of this, the police leadership rather is recommending the following instead of creating state police,” he said.
“First, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety to form a department under the Nigerian police.”
He said the recruitment of police personnel into the force should be increased by at least 30,000 annually to meet the minimum policing standard of the United Nations.
