Abuja, Nigeria – The International Human Rights Commission – Relief Fund Trust (IHRC–RFT) has cautioned that the proposed creation of state police forces will not provide a comprehensive solution to Nigeria’s deepening security challenges.
In a statement signed by Country Director Abdullahi Bakoji Adamu, the commission responded to recent remarks by Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu, who indicated that state policing could soon become a reality.
“From a security and human rights perspective, we maintain that the establishment of State Police will not constitute a comprehensive solution to Nigeria’s security challenges,” the statement said.
The commission highlighted Section 214(1) of the Nigerian Constitution, which provides for a single national police force to preserve unity and ensure institutional neutrality. It warned that decentralising police powers in Nigeria’s sensitive political climate could carry serious risks.
“The creation of state police could lead to the misuse of security agencies against political opponents, encourage ethnic or sectional bias in law enforcement, expose the inability of many states to fund and maintain professional forces, and weaken intelligence sharing and coordination,” IHRC–RFT said.
Referencing Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the organisation stressed that the right to life and personal security must remain a national priority, free from partisan influence.
The commission also called for an end to the politicisation of security matters, urging reforms that are constitutional, rights-centered, and professionally managed.
“Security must serve the nation as a whole, not political parties or sectional interests. Security reform must be constitutional, rights-centered, professional, and forward-looking,” the statement added.
