The New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, has urged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to exercise caution in establishing state police, warning that the initiative could be abused for political purposes if not backed by strong constitutional safeguards.
The party’s Deputy National Chairman, Nweze Onu, who spoke on Friday, said while the NNPP supports decentralised policing to address Nigeria’s security challenges, the proposed reform should not be rushed.
According to him, the speed of the legislative process has raised concerns over whether key issues such as accountability, oversight, funding, operational independence and constitutional safeguards received adequate public scrutiny.
“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,” Onu said.
He warned that with the 2027 general elections approaching, state police could be used by governors to intimidate political opponents, suppress dissent or influence election outcomes if adequate safeguards are not put in place.
Onu also urged the Federal Government to assess the performance of existing regional security outfits such as Amotekun and Ebubeagu before expanding policing powers nationwide.
“Security reform must strengthen the rights and freedoms of Nigerians—not weaken them,” he said, calling for constitutional guarantees on operational independence, transparent recruitment, judicial oversight, independent complaints mechanisms and sanctions against political misuse.
The NNPP’s position comes amid ongoing debate over President Bola Tinubu’s constitutional amendment bill seeking to empower states to establish and operate their own police services. Lawmakers and other stakeholders have insisted the proposed legislation contains measures to prevent abuse.
