The New Nigeria People’s Party has cautioned the Federal Government and the National Assembly against rushing the creation of the state police, warning that the reform could be abused if adequate safeguards are not put in place before its implementation.
The party said while it supports the idea of decentralising policing to address the country’s security challenges, the timing and circumstances surrounding the legislation raise concerns, particularly with the 2027 general elections drawing closer.
Speaking with our correspondent on Friday, the Deputy National Chairman of the NNPP, Nweze Onu, maintained that a constitutional reform of such magnitude should be driven by broad national consensus rather than political expediency.
He said, “The speed with which this far-reaching legislation was passed has created the impression that critical national issues relating to accountability, oversight, funding, operational independence, and constitutional safeguards were not given the exhaustive public scrutiny they deserve,” he said.
According to him, the proximity of the proposed reform to the 2027 elections makes it necessary to scrutinise whether state police could be used by state governments to intimidate political opponents, suppress dissent and influence the electoral process.
