The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has issued a stern warning: without rigid constitutional safeguards and independent oversight, the establishment of State Police could “fragment coercive power” and deepen political abuse.
In a comprehensive memorandum submitted Wednesday to the State Police Implementation Committee recently inaugurated by Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Ridwan Disu, RULAAC outlined a roadmap designed to ensure that new state forces serve the public rather than political interests.
The transition to state policing is being hailed as a significant institutional step in addressing Nigeria’s escalating insecurity. However, RULAAC Executive Director Okechukwu Nwanguma cautioned that the move must be anchored in professionalism and the rule of law.
“The establishment of State Police presents both opportunity and risk,” Nwanguma stated in the memo. “Nigeria does not merely need more police institutions. It needs democratic policing.”
A central theme of the proposal is the “insulation” of State Commissioners of Police from the direct control of state governors. To prevent the creation of “private armies,” RULAAC recommends that commissioners be nominated by independent bodies and confirmed by legislatures rather than being handpicked by the executive.
The centre also emphasises the need for security of tenure, ensuring that removal is only possible through defined legal thresholds to prevent “punitive firing” for refusing illegal political orders. Furthermore, the group calls for the creation of State Police Service Commissions with a majority civilian membership and independent complaint boards to handle reports of abuse.
The advocacy group is pushing for “Minimum National Standards” to ensure that no state operates below professional benchmarks. This includes uniform recruitment criteria, a standardised training curriculum, and strictly codified use-of-force rules.
Crucially, RULAAC is calling for a federal “check and balance” on weaponry.
“State Police access to weapons must be regulated through federal licensing and clear limits on weapon calibre,” the memorandum stated, emphasising a shift toward non-lethal equipment to prevent militarisation and the proliferation of arms.
Rather than a chaotic nationwide rollout, the group advises a phased, evidence-based implementation. This approach would allow the government to test oversight mechanisms in select states, identify potential jurisdictional conflicts with federal agencies, and assess the financial sustainability of state-funded forces before expanding the programme.
RULAAC reminded the Committee that policing alone cannot solve Nigeria’s crisis. The group pointed to “governance deficits,” poverty, and unemployment as the root causes of crime.
“Security cannot be sustainably achieved through armed institutions alone,” the group noted, calling for reform to align with broader social and economic interventions.
The memorandum concluded with a challenge to the IG-led committee, noting that history will judge the reform “not by its announcement, but by the safeguards embedded within it.”
