The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Sylvester Ezeokenwa, has thrown his weight behind President Bola Tinubu’s renewed call for the establishment of state police, describing it as a critical solution to Nigeria’s worsening security challenges.
Ezeokenwa made the endorsement on Wednesday while speaking with journalists in Abuja, saying the current centralised policing system had overstretched the Federal Government and weakened local security responses.
According to the APGA chairman, state police would empower governors to respond swiftly to security threats within their domains and improve intelligence gathering at the grassroots.
“Security is local. The Federal Government cannot effectively police every community across the country from Abuja. State police will strengthen internal security and ensure faster response to crime and insecurity,” he said.
He added that fears about political misuse of state police could be addressed through strong constitutional safeguards, independent oversight, and strict recruitment standards.
Ezeokenwa noted that insecurity, including banditry, kidnapping and communal violence, had continued to cripple socio economic activities in several parts of the country, stressing that urgent structural reforms were needed to confront the crisis.
He commended President Tinubu for reopening national discussions on state policing, insisting that the proposal enjoyed growing support across party lines and among key stakeholders.
“The issue of state police is no longer a partisan matter. It is a national survival issue. We must move beyond fear and take bold steps to protect our people,” he said.
The APGA leader urged the National Assembly to fast track the ongoing constitutional amendment process to allow for the creation of state police.
