Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has argued that creating state police will not solve Nigeria’s growing insecurity unless the government also tackles poverty, unemployment and social welfare challenges.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Falana said the country’s security problems go beyond policing structures and require a broader approach that addresses the root causes of crime.
According to him, many young Nigerians are turning to criminal activities because of widespread unemployment and economic hardship.
“Unless these issues are addressed holistically, creating state police or local government police will not resolve the insecurity crisis,” Falana said.
His remarks came shortly after the Senate passed the State Police Bill, which seeks to establish state police services alongside the existing federal police structure.
While acknowledging that Nigeria once operated a regional policing system during the First Republic, Falana noted that it was eventually scrapped due to abuse of power by regional authorities.
He stressed that the country must first address the factors that led to the abolition of the previous system before reintroducing state policing.
The senior lawyer also questioned whether adequate safeguards exist to prevent abuse of state police powers and expressed concerns over the financial capacity of some state governments to fund the proposed police services.
According to him, several states already struggle to pay workers’ salaries and pensions, raising doubts about their ability to sustain state police formations.
Source: Channels Television
