By Adeola Badru 

The Nigeria Society for Criminology (NSC), has raised concerns over the potential hasty establishment of state police in Nigeria, emphasising the need for a comprehensive national framework to prevent misuse and local oppression.

During a recent webinar titled, “Perspectives on State Policing,” experts including Professors Etannibi Alemika, Smart Otu, and Lanre Ikuteyijo, discussed the implications of state policing. 

They highlighted both the advantages, such as enhanced security, job creation, and the promotion of true federalism and the challenges, including the risk of competition among police forces, inconsistent operational standards, and potential partisanship.

The experts underscored the importance of incorporating research-based expert input when drafting this framework. 

In their observations, Professors Alemika and Ikuteyijo, stressed that the current issues facing the Nigerian Police must be addressed to improve its effectiveness. 

They warned that a rushed implementation of state police could replicate the structural and organisational challenges already present in the national force.

Professor Alemika pointed out that the police typically maintained the existing social order rather than serve as a transformative agency. 

He argued that solutions to crime must be rooted in the broader socio-political and economic contexts that perpetuate these issues for the benefit of the powerful.

The don further asserted that effective policing reforms cannot ensure security or development without good governance and the delivery of essential public services such as education, healthcare, and social protection. 

According to him, the relationship between police performance and citizen trust is a reflection of overall governance quality. 

“Therefore, the push for improved policing should align with a broader commitment to establishing a democratic political system and a thriving economy that prioritizes citizens’ welfare.”

Professor Alemika cautioned against neglecting the constitutional implications of establishing state police, warning that without strict checks on police powers, the initiative could serve the interests of those in power, leading to a potential police state.

In his opening remarks, NSC President, Professor Oludayo Tade emphasised the society’s role in guiding government policy to combat crime and enhance Nigeria’s criminal justice system. 

He expressed the NSC’s readiness to collaborate with relevant government agencies to develop a suitable model for improving the country’s security landscape.