Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Deputy National Chairman for the South-West, Bode George, has called for the establishment of state police forces to address Nigeria’s escalating insecurity issues. During an interview, Bode George underscored the necessity of state police in mitigating the increasing insurgency.
He pointed to the recommendations made by the constitutional conference committee during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, which advocated for the creation of state police as a viable solution.
George emphasized the unique challenges of insurgency, noting that insurgents often blend in with the local population, making it difficult for conventional forces to identify and combat them effectively.
He argued that state police, who are more familiar with the community and its cultural nuances, would be better positioned to manage security challenges and curb criminal activities efficiently.
He said, “The constitutional conference committee under former president Jonathan stated that the need to have state police cannot be futuristic, it is so urgent,” George said.
“You know, when you go to war, you have a defined enemy, but in this case, it is an insurgency, insecurity within. You don’t know who is who, they can come out in the day and pretend to be part of one area but in the night they turn out to be something else.
“So, what you need will be people within their community to police them. They know themselves, they know the do’s and don’ts of that culture, and they know the rules of the people in that culture.”
“So, they would be better off to be able to manage any issues within their communities. For God’s sake, we need the state police.”
George’s call for state police echoes a long-standing debate in Nigeria’s security landscape. His emphasis on the need for community-based policing resonates with concerns about the federal police’s limitations in addressing localized security threats.
As the country grapples with escalating insecurity, George’s advocacy for state police adds momentum to the ongoing conversation on reforming Nigeria’s security architecture.
