The Oluwo of Iwo land, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has cautioned the Nigerian federal government against the proposed creation of state police, citing concerns over potential abuses by autocratic governors and the destabilization of existing cooperation among state authorities.
In a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Alli Ibraheem, and obtained by DAILY POST on Monday, Oba Akanbi warned that the implementation of state policing could lead to severe consequences, including the risk of civil unrest initiated by state actors defying federal authority.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to refrain from approving any proposal that could undermine the federal government’s exclusive legislative power over security matters. Instead, the monarch suggested an alternative approach: recruiting more police officers and enhancing the welfare package for the Nigerian Police Force.
“Policing is on the exclusive legislative list of the federal government. Creating a state police will destabilize the existing tranquility and cooperation existing between and among the Nigerian states’ authorities,” Oba Akanbi stated.
He further elaborated on the risks, noting, “Most state authorities are known for flouting the order of the federal government. Exclusive affairs will be abused by governors with autocratic tendencies. Nigeria is not ripe for state policing.”
In his concluding remarks, the Oluwo emphasized the importance of strengthening the existing police force: “I implore the federal government to recruit more police personnel and improve their welfare package. This, if done, will fortify the Nigerian Police Force and bring sanity to policing.”
