By Henry Ojelu

A senior legal practitioner, Dr. Yemi Omodele, has identified funding and political control as two major challenges that must be addressed before Nigeria can successfully establish state police.

Omodele spoke amid renewed debate on decentralising policing in the country, particularly following the inauguration of a new Inspector-General of Police and the setting up of a committee to examine the issue of state policing.

According to him, while state police could help tackle the growing security challenges across the country, the initiative must be carefully regulated to prevent abuse by politicians.

He noted that the present constitutional framework does not recognise state police, stressing that constitutional amendments would be necessary before such a system can be properly implemented.

“The constitution presently governs policing in Nigeria. If state police must be created, the constitution will have to be amended to accommodate it and regulate its operations,” he said.

Omodele observed that although Nigeria does not officially operate state police, many states have already established security outfits performing functions similar to those of the police.

These include neighbourhood security groups and other state-backed agencies created to assist federal law enforcement in maintaining order.

According to him, such outfits have become necessary because of the limitations of a centralised policing structure in a large country like Nigeria.

“In a situation where security threats occur in a state and authorities must wait for directives from Abuja before action is taken, valuable time may be lost,” he said.

However, he warned that state police could easily become instruments of political intimidation if adequate safeguards are not put in place.

Omodele explained that governors might attempt to deploy such forces against political opponents if the legal framework guiding their operations is weak.

“There must be clear regulations to prevent state police from being used to harass political opponents or influence electoral outcomes,” he said.

Beyond the political concerns, the senior lawyer also raised questions about the financial implications of running state police.

He noted that maintaining a modern police force would require enormous financial commitments, including salaries, operational vehicles, equipment and infrastructure.

“If a state recruits between 10,000 to 20,000 officers, the cost of salaries, vehicles, equipment and other operational expenses will run into billions of naira,” he said.

According to him, while some states with strong internally generated revenue may be able to sustain such a structure, others may struggle to fund it.

On electoral reforms, Omodele also expressed caution about the growing reliance on technology in Nigeria’s election process, particularly electronic transmission of results.

While acknowledging the advantages of technological systems, he warned that no system is completely immune from manipulation.

“Technology has its benefits, but there is no system in the world that cannot be compromised. Safeguards must always be put in place,” he said.

He also stressed the importance of the judiciary in resolving electoral disputes, noting that courts rely strictly on evidence presented by litigants.

According to him, politicians who challenge election results must provide credible proof rather than rely on general allegations.

“If a person alleges electoral malpractice, the burden is on that person to prove it before the court,” he said.

Assessing the performance of the current administration, Omodele described the government as “a trying government,” noting that although it may not be perfect, efforts are being made to address national challenges.

“No government can satisfy everybody, but the present government is trying,” he said.