President Muhammadu Buhari has refused to consider the request for state police to be brought into the system, stating that state police is not an option to tackle insecurities in the country. He affirmed this in an interview with Channels Television.

Buhari rejects idea of state police.

In an interview with Channels Television, the President stated that Nigerians should find out the relationship between local governments and the governors.

According to the President, “State police is not an option. Find out the relationship between local governments and the governors. Are the third tiers of government getting what they are supposed to get constitutionally? Are they getting it? Let the people in local government tell you the truth; the fight between local governments and the governor.”

President Muhammadu Buhari also talked about the roles of traditional rulers in the country, he stated that the roles of the traditional rulers should not be eroded in conducting peace to different communities.

He quipped, “The role of traditional rulers must not be undermined, because in their areas they know who is who, even by families, not to even talk of individuals,”

The President also refused to consider state policing despite calls from different quarters, dating back to 2019. He stated that state policing was a good initiative, but governors might not be able to meet up with the officers’ salaries. There’s been a large request for state policing ever since a police officer flouted the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, order publicly. However, there should be a way around it if state policing will help tackle some forms of disrespect and other clauses in the country.

“The Nigeria Police is the principal law enforcement and the lead security agency in Nigeria. Designated by the 1999 constitution as the national police of Nigeria with exclusive jurisdiction throughout the country, as of 2016 it has a staff strength of about 371,800. There are currently plans to increase the force to 650,000, adding 280,000 new recruits to the existing 370,000. The Nigeria Police Force is a very large organization consisting of 36 State commands grouped into 17 zones and 8 administrative organs.

The agency is currently headed by IGP (Inspector General) Usman Alkali Baba. In 2020, it underwent major overhauls. Nigeria Police Force was first established in 1820. [citation needed] In 1879 a 1,200-member armed paramilitary Hausa Constabulary was formed. In 1896 the Lagos Police was established.

A similar force, the Niger Coast Constabulary, was formed in Calabar in 1894 under the newly proclaimed Niger Coast Protectorate. In the north, the Royal Niger Company set up the Royal Niger Company Constabulary in 1888 with headquarters at Lokoja”. This section is culled from WIKIPEDIA.