The Police Service Commission (PSC) has rolled out a roadmap for introducing State Police in Nigeria, stressing the need to carefully examine the key issues affecting the Nigeria Police Force as the country prepares for state policing.
PSC Chairman, DIG Hashimu Salihu Argungu (rtd), made this point when he received the Committee for the Implementation of State Police, led by Professor Olu Ogunsakin, during a working visit to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Torty Njoku Kalu, the PSC’s Head of Protocol and Public Affairs, said the delegation aimed to tap into the experience and knowledge of the PSC Board, recognising its vital role in shaping policing in Nigeria.
Professor Ogunsakin described the Committee’s task as a huge responsibility, stressing the importance of guidance from the PSC.
“We cannot do it alone without tapping into the wisdom of the PSC. We are here to benefit from your knowledge to review the landscape, structure, and foundation that will assist the Nigeria Police Force moving forward,” he said, calling DIG Argungu a “fountain of knowledge.”
In response, DIG Argungu outlined a detailed, step-by-step plan for making state policing work effectively.
He urged the Committee to look closely at the root causes behind the demand for state police, draw lessons from past mistakes, and implement the needed reforms.
“Find out what went wrong that necessitated the quest for the creation of state police,” he advised.
He also stressed the need to clearly define the relationship between federal and state offences, separate public from private wrongs, and update outdated laws for today’s context.
DIG Argungu recommended studying countries with successful state police systems, learning from their challenges, and adapting the lessons to fit Nigeria.
He assured the Committee that they could ask for more time if needed to ensure the process is thorough and effective.
The Committee has been tasked with proposing an operational framework for state police, including recruitment, training standards, and resource distribution.
