NHRC scribe highlights importance of State Police at NBA conference

NHRC scribe highlights importance of State Police at NBA conference

By Gabriel Kekong

Port Harcourt (Main Reporters) -Dr. Anthony Ojukwu (SAN), Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has called for the urgent establishment of the State Police, saying the decentralization of the Nigerian police system is critical to improve security, reduce response times and strengthen the protection of citizens’ rights.

Ojukwu made the call on Tuesday during a panel session at the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), themed “Beyond Limits”.

He said the country’s centralized police structure has become overburdened and increasingly unable to respond promptly to security threats across Nigeria.

According to him, the gap between the size of Nigeria’s population and the number of police personnel has created a situation where citizens are often left vulnerable awaiting security intervention.

“If you don’t have the State Police, you can never have an adequate level of security. In Nigeria we have over 200 million people with far fewer policemen policing them. The response times are so long that we live only by the grace of God,” he said.

The NHRC chief argued that State Police would bring law enforcement closer to the people and allow officers to respond more effectively to security challenges due to their familiarity with local communities and terrain.

“With the State Police, governors will have the means to respond quickly. The police will be more effective because they know the terrain and they know the people,” he said.

The State Police must protect human rights

While supporting the decentralization of the police, Ojukwu stressed that the establishment of the State Police must be accompanied by strong safeguards to prevent abuse of power.

He warned that without effective oversight and accountability, the State Police could be vulnerable to political interference, unlawful arrests, intimidation, torture and other violations of basic human rights.

“We must insist that when the national police bill comes, it must be well drafted. There must be a board to manage it. There must be oversight. Otherwise it will become another problem,” he warned.

The NHRC Executive Secretary argued that the effectiveness of policing should not be measured solely by the number of arrests or criminal cases handled, but also by the extent to which security agencies respect human dignity, due process, the rule of law and fundamental rights.

He therefore urged lawyers and citizens to remain vigilant and hold security agencies accountable for their actions.

“Lawyers should be the people who will insist on the right thing to do. If the police are going to arrest someone, insist on the right procedure. Don’t let them abuse power. We must control them,” Ojukwu said.

Security and rights must go together

The NHRC chief stressed that security and human rights should not be treated as competing objectives, arguing that sustainable security can only be achieved through professional, lawful and accountable policing.

He said persistent insecurity and delayed responses to threats have weakened public trust in security institutions and created a situation where many Nigerians believe their safety depends more on chance than on an effective policing system.

“Our people live by the grace of God because the system doesn’t work. This needs to change,” he said.

Ojukwu said Nigeria can no longer afford a police structure that is overburdened and insufficiently responsive to local security realities.

He urged politicians, lawyers and other stakeholders to support reforms that would bring the police closer to communities, while ensuring that officers remain subject to effective legal and institutional oversight.

“We cannot continue with a system where only a few police officers are expected to protect millions. It is time to push the envelope and give Nigerians the security they deserve; safely, effectively and responsibly,” he said.

The call was part of discussions at the NBA’s 66th Annual General Conference, where legal practitioners and stakeholders are examining ways to strengthen Nigeria’s judiciary, security architecture, governance and protection of fundamental rights.