South-South Youths Reject State Police, Demand Comprehensive Reform Of Nigeria Police

South-South Youths Reject State Police, Demand Comprehensive Reform Of Nigeria Police

A youth advocacy group, the South South Youth Initiative (SSYI), has opposed ongoing moves to establish state police in Nigeria, warning that placing such security outfits under the control of state governors could threaten democracy and worsen insecurity.

The group instead called for a comprehensive reform of the Nigeria Police Force, including a more transparent and accountable process for appointing the Inspector-General of Police and state Commissioners of Police.

In an open letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu and made available to journalists in Port Harcourt, SSYI argued that the creation of state police without addressing existing structural weaknesses in the country’s policing system would create more problems than solutions.

The letter, signed by the group’s president, Comrade Imeabe Oscar, was also copied to the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Minister of Interior, state governors, the Chief of Army Staff, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Chairman of the Police Service Commission and the Inspector-General of Police.

According to the group, while it supports reforms aimed at improving security and bringing policing closer to local communities, it rejects the current model of state policing being proposed across the country.

“The South-South Youths Initiative writes on behalf of millions of Niger Delta youths who are watching with deep concern the rush to adopt state police in Nigeria without addressing the fundamental defects in our policing system,” the letter stated.

The group warned that state police controlled by governors could easily be transformed into instruments of political intimidation and oppression.

“State Police under the control of Governors will become a private army for political intimidation, election rigging, and suppression of opposition.

“We have seen how state-controlled institutions are abused. Handing Governors direct control of armed police will deepen authoritarianism and threaten democracy,” the group said.

SSYI also expressed concerns that state-controlled police structures could fuel ethnic, religious and political discrimination in recruitment, promotions and deployment of personnel.

According to the group, such a development could deepen divisions in Nigeria’s diverse states, particularly in the South-South region.

“Policing tied to state executives will recruit, promote and deploy based on ethnicity, religion and political loyalty rather than merit and law. This will worsen divisions in our multi-ethnic states like Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and across Nigeria,” it said.

The group further questioned the financial capacity of many states to sustain an independent police force, noting that several states already struggle to meet salary obligations.

It argued that poorly funded state police commands could lead to inadequate training, poor welfare, corruption, extortion and human rights abuses.

“Most states cannot pay salaries regularly. A poorly funded State Police means poorly trained, poorly equipped officers who will resort to extortion and brutality. This will increase insecurity, not reduce it,” the letter added.

SSYI also raised concerns over possible jurisdictional conflicts between state police commands and federal security agencies, including the police, DSS and NSCDC.

The group warned that overlapping responsibilities and unclear lines of authority could create confusion and weaken the country’s overall security architecture.

“Multiple state commands with no clear accountability framework will clash with federal agencies, NSCDC, DSS and even among themselves. This confusion will embolden criminals and terrorists,” it stated.

Rather than creating state police immediately, the group urged the federal government and the National Assembly to focus on reforming the existing policing system.

Among its recommendations, SSYI called for a transparent, merit-based and constitutionally guaranteed process for appointing the Inspector-General of Police and Commissioners of Police.

“The appointment of the Inspector General of Police and State Commissioners of Police should pass through transparent, strict administrative processes.

“Appointments should require Senate confirmation, public vetting, fixed tenure and removal only through due process — not at the whims of the president or governors,” the group said.

The intervention comes amid ongoing national debates over the establishment of state police as part of broader efforts to address rising insecurity across the country. While supporters argue that state police would improve intelligence gathering and community-based policing, critics continue to express concerns over potential political abuse and accountability challenges.