State Police Must Protect Nigerians, Not For Intimidation – FCT NUJ Chair

Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike has called for the establishment of state police.

She noted that the initiative could improve community security, strengthen federalism and enhance local accountability.

Ike made the call on Tuesday while delivering a speech at the 2nd Annual Distinguished Parliamentarian Lecture organised by the House of Representatives Press Corps.

The lecture, with the theme, “The Imperative for State Police: Securing Communities, Strengthening Federalism,” examined the arguments for decentralising policing in Nigeria.

Ike said the current centralised policing structure had left some communities waiting too long for security responses, arguing that police formations closer to the people would be better placed to understand and respond to local security challenges.

“Policing from a single national centre has left many states and communities waiting for responses that arrive most times too late,” she said.

According to her, state police could facilitate faster responses to security threats, help prevent conflicts from escalating and foster stronger relationships between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.

She noted that Nigeria’s security challenges varied from one region to another, stressing that the needs of riverine communities in the Niger Delta could not necessarily be addressed in the same manner as those of metropolitan neighbourhoods in Lagos or farming communities in the Middle Belt.

The NUJ FCT chairman also said decentralised policing could reduce the pressure on the Nigeria Police Force and create room for more specialised policing approaches suited to individual regions.

However, Ike cautioned that the establishment of state police must be accompanied by strong safeguards to prevent abuse and political interference.

She called for constitutional amendments and clear legislation defining the jurisdiction, powers and limitations of state police, as well as their relationship with the federal police.

She also advocated common national standards for recruitment, training and discipline, alongside independent oversight bodies and civilian review mechanisms with the authority to investigate alleged abuses and enforce accountability.

Ike urged state governments to provide sustainable funding for policing while strengthening anti-corruption measures in recruitment, procurement and payroll management.

She further called for shared intelligence systems, joint task forces and mutual-aid arrangements between states and federal security agencies, noting that criminal activities often transcend state boundaries.

“State police must be rooted in respect for human rights and community-policing principles so that they protect citizens rather than intimidate them,” she said.

Ike also urged the media and civil society organisations to scrutinise proposals on state police, educate the public, hold lawmakers and government officials accountable and ensure that citizens’ concerns are reflected in the debate.

She said the discussion should be inclusive, evidence-based and transparent rather than treated as a temporary political conversation.

“Our goal is not merely a change of structure; it is a change that delivers safety, trust and justice for Nigerians,” she added.

The NUJ FCT chairman maintained that state police, if established with constitutional safeguards, effective oversight, adequate funding and respect for human rights, could serve as an instrument for improving community security and deepening Nigeria’s federal system.