‘Must involve greater community participation’ – Peter Obi on state police

The Presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, has revealed his stance on the ongoing debate on the passage of the State Police Bill by the National Assembly.

Obi, in a statement he issued on Friday, said while the initiative is commendable, “disorderly legislation raises concerns on political misuse”.

He said the passage of the bill “marks a significant legislative milestone in addressing a long-standing demand of the Nigerian people.

“For years, many of us, alongside security experts and regional stakeholders, have consistently argued that a highly centralised policing structure is fundamentally unsuitable for a country as vast, diverse, and complex as Nigeria.

“However, the legislative and constitutional implementation appears shaky and raises legitimate concerns”, Obi said.

The NDC candidate advised that the process of establishing the local security outfit “should involve greater community participation”.

According to him, policing should be more “visible at the local government and community levels.

“The mechanism for passing the law appears highly disorganised, with no public hearing on such a sensitive issue. Indeed, the rush to enact the law without proper legislative procedures fuels suspicion among many observers about the political motives behind it.

“The greatest concern does not arise from logistical issues; it stems from history. There is a widespread, justifiable fear that state police forces could become instruments in the hands of governors.

“The suspicion is that a state-controlled police force could be weaponised to suppress political rivals, disrupt opposition rallies, and manipulate elections”.

Obi further stated that for state policing to evolve from a risky political gamble into a genuine security solution, the “law must not only permit states to establish police forces but also clearly provide for independent oversight bodies, such as a state-level Police Service Commission that is entirely free from executive influence, to ensure that policing serves the public interest rather than the interests of the ruling elite.

“Going by what Nigerians have seen so far, there is no guarantee that this administration can resist the temptation to take advantage of state policing to influence the 2027 general election by proxy.

“In view of that possibility and the danger it poses to the polity, it is necessary to defer its implementation until after the general election”.