Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun has dismissed the proposition for state-controlled police forces in Nigeria. During a national dialogue on state police hosted by the House of Representatives in Abuja, Egbetokun expressed his belief that the country is not yet prepared for such a move.

Represented by Assistant Inspector-General Ben Okolo, Egbetokun stated that “the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force submits that Nigeria is yet to mature and ready for the establishment of state-controlled police.”

The dialogue, titled “Pathways to Peace: Reimagining Policing in Nigeria,” aimed to explore the potential benefits and challenges of implementing state police. However, Egbetokun’s position reflects the concerns of the police leadership that the country is not sufficiently developed for such a decentralization of law enforcement. CONTINUE READING