The committee recommended a strict monitoring system to prevent political abuse

A steering committee working on the proposed State Police Service (SPS) has recommended a comprehensive and independent oversight structure designed to prevent political interference and abuse of power.

The committee led by Prof Olu Ogunsakin disclosed this in its report released to journalists on Sunday in Abuja.

The panel set up by the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, acknowledged that political pressure was inevitable in the establishment and operation of the country’s police structure.

“This committee considers strong, independent, and multi-layered accountability to be the single most important structural safeguard to ensure that SPS serve their communities and not their political supporters.

“The oversight architecture must be robust enough to withstand the full force of the political pressures that will inevitably occur. An oversight body, no matter how well designed, will be vulnerable to capture.

“The proposed architecture creates overlapping and mutually reinforcing lines of accountability so that no single point of failure can leave systematic abuses unaddressed,” the report said.

According to the committee, a strong accountability system will be critical to building public trust and ensuring effective policing at the state level. The report warns that without such protections, state police forces could quickly become feared institutions and their operational efficiency diminish.

The report points to accountability challenges in the Nigerian Police in the past, including incidents highlighted during the #EndSARS protests, extortion cases, and deaths in custody, as evidence of the risks posed by weak oversight mechanisms.

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The report notes that experiences like these show how inadequate oversight can seriously damage an institution’s credibility.

To address this problem, the committee proposed the creation of a State Police Service Commission (SPSC) in each state as a constitutionally independent body. Each commission, according to his recommendations, should be chaired by a retired High Court judge, a retired senior police officer or a senior legal academic.

The commission’s membership also includes two people with expertise in public administration, a civil society representative with a background in human rights, and a nominee from the country’s traditional ruling council. Additional members will include women’s rights advocates and youth representatives under the age of 35.

The report proposed that members be appointed by state governors and confirmed by their respective State Houses of Assembly, with respective terms of four years.

The agreement further outlines SPSC responsibilities, including the appointment, confirmation, and promotion of all state police personnel, as well as disciplinary control of officers, with the authority to demote, discharge, or terminate.

Additionally, the commission will oversee and approve the state police budget before it is submitted to the legislature.

Their duties also include reviewing quarterly and annual reports from the State Police Ombudsman, as well as performance data covering use of force, arrests, prosecutions, complaints, and conditions of detention.

The report added that each commission would be required to publish an annual report detailing the performance and compliance of the State Police Agency, so that the information would be accessible to the public.