State Police: Lawyers, CSOs Demand Constitutional Safeguards Against Governors’ Abuse

As momentum builds for the establishment of state police in Nigeria, senior lawyers and civil society organizations (CSOs) are advocating for robust constitutional safeguards to prevent potential abuse by governors. While supporting the initiative to address worsening security conditions, these groups are demanding measures to ensure the state police force remains professional and free from undue political influence.

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the success of State Police will depend less on its creation than on the institutional safeguards put in place to prevent abuse and ensure professionalism.

Concerns have been raised that state police could be co-opted or misused by state executives. To counter this, legal experts are calling for constitutional and statutory provisions that would insulate the command structure from political interference, particularly in sensitive matters such as arrests, investigations, and prosecutions. They emphasize the need for an independent State Police Service Commission responsible for recruitment, promotion, and discipline, with a membership that reflects broad representation and unquestionable integrity.

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Secondly, there should be an independent State Police Service Commission responsible for recruitment, promotion, discipline, and appointments. Membership of the Commission should reflect broad representation and include persons of unquestionable integrity to prevent the force from becoming an instrument of partisan politics.

Former presidential candidate Mr. Peter Obi has proposed that the state police law should be implemented after the 2027 elections, cautioning that hastily enacted legislation often contains inherent flaws. Similarly, the Conference of United Political Parties (CUPP) has stated that while the passage of the State Police bill is desirable, it must be handled with extreme care.

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Thirdly, there must be clear constitutional delineation of the powers and jurisdiction of the Nigeria Police Force and State Police to avoid operational conflicts and ensure effective collaboration, particularly in matters involving terrorism, organised crime, and offences transcending state boundaries.

Legal professionals argue that the success of state police hinges not just on its creation but on the institutional safeguards put in place. They stress the importance of clearly delineating the powers and jurisdictions of the Nigeria Police Force and state police to avoid operational conflicts and ensure effective collaboration, especially in cases of terrorism, organized crime, and cross-state offenses. The establishment of strong oversight mechanisms, including independent civilian complaint bodies and legislative oversight, is also deemed crucial for accountability.

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Equally important is the establishment of robust oversight mechanisms. Independent civilian complaint bodies, legislative oversig