CDHR supports the State Police and praises IGP Disu’s new push for decentralized policing

The Human Rights Committee has renewed its call for the establishment of state police across Nigeria, saying the current centralized police structure has become excessive and ineffective in addressing growing insecurity.

In a statement jointly signed by its National President, Comrade Yinka Folarin, and Secretary General, Comrade Idris Afees Olayinka, the civil rights group described the initiative as a vital step towards combating terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, insurgency and other violent crimes plaguing the country.

The group backed the new Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, for inaugurating a high-powered committee to develop a framework for state police implementation.

Disu, who was recently sworn in as national police chief, said decentralized policing was “here to stay”, amid renewed national debate over security reforms.

The renewed push also follows President Bola Tinubu’s call for the National Assembly to amend Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution to accommodate the state police as part of broader security reforms.

The CDHR argues that, with Nigeria’s over 200 million population and 774 local government areas, a single centralized policing structure can no longer effectively manage the country’s complex security challenges.

“The burden of combating terrorism, militancy, insurgency, banditry and kidnapping has become overwhelming on our security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force,” the statement read.

The organization said it has consistently advocated for the creation of the state police as a viable solution to Nigeria’s worsening security crisis, stressing that the IGP’s move to set up a committee to work out modalities of implementation is commendable.

According to CDHR, the committee’s terms of reference which include reviewing policing models within and outside Nigeria, assessing community safety needs, identifying potential risks and proposing an operational framework for coordination demonstrate a serious attempt to ensure that state policing does not undermine national security.

The human rights group, however, urged police leaders to ensure that the initiative does not become a mere political statement.

“We ask the Inspector General of Police to remain focused so that this initiative does not remain a paper trail.

The full implementation of the state police will send a strong signal of the government’s commitment to ending insecurity and grassroots crime,” the statement added.

Debate over state police has intensified in recent months, with stakeholders divided over concerns that governors could abuse such forces for political purposes, even as advocates argue that decentralization is necessary to strengthen local intelligence collection and rapid response capabilities.

The CDHR argued that with adequate legal safeguards and oversight mechanisms, the state police would strengthen Nigeria’s policing architecture and provide an alternative strategy to restore nationwide security.

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