A public affairs analyst and social commentator, Comrade Emmanuel Adeegbe, has said state police is desirable in Nigeria, but expresses the fear that state governors may use it as a weapon to witch-hunt the opposition. He stated this while featuring on the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State radio station, FUNAAB Radio 89.5 FM live interactive programme, Boiling Point.
Comrade Adeegbe, a former Joint Negotiating Council Chairman and a member of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Abeokuta, Ogun State Branch, noted that it was obvious from official statistics that the current staff strength of the Nigeria Police Force could not effectively provide security for the nation’s population of over 200 million people. He said, “There is a need for the state police in Nigeria, but we are not yet matured for it. If the security is placed in hands of state governors, they will use it to witch-hunt their opponents.
“A typical example was what happened in Imo State recently where the number one labour leader was brutalised by some people suspected to be policemen”, he added. The radio guest said the recent recruitment of 10,000 constables to join the force was a step in good direction, but more needed to be done in the area of shoring-up the staff strength of the police personnel. Speaking further on the topic, ‘Insecurity and Renewed Call for State Policing in Nigeria’, he observed that, though, the incidents of farmers-herders clashes, kidnappings, and terrorism were gradually reducing under the President Bola Tinubu-led administration, he commended the new crop of security service chiefs, who he said had stepped-up their game.