Retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Wilson Inalegwu, has warned that the proposed state police system in Nigeria will fail if it is dominated by politicians or formed from vigilante groups, political thugs and party loyalists.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, Inalegwu said the success of state police would depend largely on a transparent recruitment process that guarantees professionalism and political neutrality.

“We are praying that they will not use members of vigilante, members of thugs, supporters of political parties or individuals to form the new class of this police force,” Inalegwu stated.

While acknowledging that the establishment of State police will add more manpower to policing in the country, the former Kogi State Commissioner of Police explained that the greatest danger lies in the composition of the proposed force.

According to him, recruiting people with partisan or vigilante backgrounds would undermine the credibility of state police and turn it into an instrument of political interests rather than public service.

Drawing from history, Inalegwu recalled that similar concerns were raised in 1958 over the composition of the Native Authority Police.

“Majority of the police in the native authority were formed from supporters of political parties and were formed from thugs and that was a fear that was expressed in 1958 where the minorities expressed fear,” he said.

He stressed the need for transparent recruitment processes, professional standards and strong oversight mechanisms to ensure that any state police structure operates strictly within the law.

‘Nigerian Police Competent but Underfunded’

The retired police chief also defended the Nigerian Police Force, saying its challenges stem from inadequate funding, manpower shortages and poor logistics rather than incompetence.

“The Nigerian police staff today is grossly underfunded and logistics are not provided, otherwise the Nigerian police force is a fantastic organization, it is competent and able to do the job of policing in Nigeria.”

He said the force remains structurally capable of carrying out its constitutional responsibilities but has been hampered by years of underfunding and inadequate operational support.

According to him, shortages in personnel, equipment and logistics have left officers overstretched and under-equipped, making it difficult to meet the country’s growing security demands. He maintained that with adequate investment in manpower, infrastructure and welfare, the police would perform far more effectively and restore public confidence.

‘Nigeria’s Institutions Too Weak to Resist Political Pressure’

Inalegwu further argued that the proposal for state police should be approached with caution because of the weakness of public institutions.

“Our institutions are very weak and are not strong enough to withstand the torment of desperate politicians.”

He warned that unless institutions are strengthened, state-controlled police forces could become vulnerable to political interference and be used as tools of intimidation rather than impartial law enforcement.

Highlighting the importance of policing to national development, he said: “The police is a critical institution, an institution that has primacy on internal security, on public management, on crime prevention. This is a critical institution worldwide and by the time we begin to have an effective police force that is catered for, the development of Nigeria will begin to rise. Nigeria will only develop with an effective police force.”

Senate Defends State Police Bill

Inalegwu’s remarks come as the Senate defended the passage of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (State Police) Bill, 2026, following criticism from some quarters.

Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele described the proposal as “a child of necessity rather than political expediency” and “a product of national consensus, not cynicism.”

In a statement, Bamidele said the creation of state police had become a matter of urgent public importance in view of the country’s security challenges. He noted that the process of incorporating state police into Nigeria’s governance structure did not begin recently but has evolved over time.

Despite opposing views, the Senate leader maintained that Nigerians largely support the bill, expressing confidence that it would significantly reduce insecurity at the subnational level. (Channels TV)

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