A former Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Wilson Inalegwu, has said that State Police is not the solution to curb the security challenges in Nigeria.
Inalegwu explained that adopting State Police as a solution to the security challenges in the country would be a wrong move because it can lead to widespread abuse of force by local politicians.
The former Police Chief spoke on Channels Television breakfast current affairs programme, Sunrise Daily.
It was reported that as insecurity worsens in many parts of Nigeria, State Governors and other stakeholders have called for a restructuring of the Nigeria Police Force, NPF.
Banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and general criminalities have been on the rise across the country lately.
Students and residents of some Northern States have been the major targets of bandits, while gunmen have been attacking Police stations in the Southern region of Nigeria.
Inalegwu said, “I am not an advocate, today, of state police because of my own experience as an officer who has served in various commands.
“Have you heard that in some places, some politicians cannot even visit their homes? And when they visit, things happen. People could come around your eyes, and they begin to fire.
“Have you heard of any local government election they conducted that any other party won apart from the party in that state, where you have the State Independent Electoral Commission?
“We can criticise the Nigerian police force, but let’s criticise them in context.
“I believe that the Nigerian police officer is the most competent, the most diligent, the most capable officer, but the environment he finds himself . . .”
