The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has revealed that Nigeria looked beyond its borders before developing the proposed state police framework, with India, the United States and Pakistan among the countries studied by the police committee. Disu made the disclosure in Abuja on Thursday while speaking at a workshop on state police organised by the […]
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has revealed that Nigeria looked beyond its borders before developing the proposed state police framework, with India, the United States and Pakistan among the countries studied by the police committee.
Disu made the disclosure in Abuja on Thursday while speaking at a workshop on state police organised by the Nigeria Institute of Police Studies, saying the committee conducted extensive comparative research before arriving at its recommendations.
The police chief explained that the team examined countries where state policing is already in operation to understand how their systems function and identify lessons that could help Nigeria develop an effective structure.
According to him, the comparative assessment was part of efforts to ensure that the proposed system is properly understood and capable of addressing the concerns surrounding the introduction of state police in Nigeria.
Disu said the Federal Government had made a decision to establish state police and that the Nigeria Police Force would assist in ensuring that the proposed system is properly developed and implemented.
He called on senior police officers to take the issue seriously, noting that many officers still had fears about state police. He said educating them about the proposed structure was necessary to address those concerns.
The IGP recalled that there had initially been disagreement over whether the police needed to develop its own framework after the decision on state police had been taken. However, he said the disagreement was resolved with the creation of a committee.
He disclosed that the committee moved quickly and produced its initial framework in only 17 days. The document, he said, subsequently became the foundation of the work currently being considered by stakeholders, although further adjustments were still necessary.
Disu also said the Nigeria Governors’ Forum had earlier constituted its own committee on state police and had completed its work before the police team began its assignment. He noted that the police committee eventually caught up with the governors’ team.
The IGP added that retired police chiefs had also examined the framework and made contributions aimed at strengthening the document.
In a related development, the Police Community Relations Committee has established a seven-member team to formulate its position on the proposed state police system and submit its recommendations to the Presidential Committee on State Police.