The Nigeria Police Force has opposed the establishment of state police, saying the country is not ripe for it yet.
Speaking at a one-day dialogue on state policing, Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Kayode Egbetokun said the establishment of state police would exacerbate ethnic tension, leading to divided loyalty in the states, The Nation is reporting.
Represented by AIG Ben Okolo, the IGP said the establishment of state police would also lead to multiple command structures in the states.
He also said that state governors were likely to abuse the privilege of state police by using it for political gains, leading to possible abuse of power and abuse of human rights.
He argued that the state government lack thereof required funding that would give birth to the type of policing that the nation requires.
Rather than establishing state police, he recommended the merging of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Federal Road Safety Commission to form a department in the Nigeria Police Force.
He also said there was the need for a yearly recruitment of about 30,000 police personnel into the force annually to meet the UN requirements for modern policing, while also increasing annual budgetary allocation to the force.
