An Assistant Inspector-General of Police in the Department of information and communications, AIG Ben Okolo says his statement that Nigeria was not ripe for state police do not represent the views of the Inspector-General of Police or the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
He admitted that the view was a personal opinion.
AIG Okolo, who represented the inspector-general of police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun at the conference on national security and state police in Abuja on Monday, said “My expressions on state police at the session held at Abuja Continental Hotel on 22nd April, 2024 are my personal opinions to stimulate the discourse. They are not the views of the inspector-general of police or the Nigeria Police Force.”
At the event, AIG Okolo said the establishment of state police would increase ethnic tension, leading to divided loyalty in the states.
He also added that state governors are likely to abuse the privilege of state police by using it for political gains, leading to possible abuse of power and abuse of human rights
AIG Okolo also said that the state government lacks the required funding that will give birth to the type of policing that the nation requires.
