LAGOS – Chief Martin Onovo, former Presidential Candidate of the defunct National Conscience Party (NCP), has criticised the idea of state police in Nigeria, citing risk of abuse.
Onovo, also an activist and head of policy positions at the Movement for Fundamental Change, spoke to newsmen on Tuesday in Lagos.
Recalls that South-West governors, under the aegis of the South-West Governors’ Forum, on Monday at its meeting in Ibadan, renewed their call for the creation of state police to tackle the security challenges bedeviling the region and the country in general.
Reacting, Onovo said, “We do not support state police because of the risks and almost certain likelihood of abuse.
“Every State in Nigeria already has a Commissioner of Police and State Police headquarters.So there is no need for state police,”he said.
According to him, what is needed to address the security challenges in the country is a comprehensive security approach that can deal with crime and terrorism holistically.
“Nigeria must apply a comprehensive security management system that prevents, detects, constrains, and dislodges all terrorists.
“This should happen before they can kill innocent persons or destroy properties,” he said.
Onovo argued that fragmented security measures had weakened national capacity to combat terrorism and organised crime.
“The security challenges we face today are a result of inadequate planning and inconsistent policies,” he said.
He warned that introducing state police could worsen insecurity .
“We should strengthen existing federal and state security agencies rather than create parallel forces.
“A well-coordinated national security framework, rather than state-level policing, is the only way to protect Nigerians effectively,” he said.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to take the welfare of citizens seriously, saying hardship resulting from harsh economic policies could stoke security challenges. (NAN)
