State Police Must Not Become Tool for Political Oppression, Natasha Warns

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has cautioned against the misuse of proposed state police by state governments, warning that any constitutional framework establishing the system must include strong safeguards to prevent political oppression, executive overreach and abuse of power.

The senator, who represents Kogi Central, gave the warning on Thursday while speaking at the “Building a National Consensus for State Police and National Security” conference organised by ARISE News and THISDAY in Abuja.

Akpoti-Uduaghan said that although calls for state police have gained momentum as part of efforts to tackle Nigeria’s security challenges, the new policing structure must be designed to protect democratic values and citizens’ rights.

“State police should never become an instrument of political oppression or executive intimidation. We must build a policing system that serves the people, protects democracy and remains accountable to the rule of law,” she said.

The lawmaker warned that without adequate constitutional safeguards and institutional independence, state police could be weaponised against political opponents and ordinary citizens.

She also identified sustainable funding as a critical requirement for the success of any state policing arrangement, stressing that creating new security institutions without a reliable financial framework would undermine their effectiveness.

According to her, the Federal Government should establish a transparent and sustainable funding model to support personnel welfare, operational efficiency, intelligence gathering, training and investment in modern security infrastructure.

“Without adequate and sustainable financing, state police will struggle to deliver on their constitutional responsibilities,” she said.

Akpoti-Uduaghan commended President Bola Tinubu for his administration’s efforts to strengthen national security and praised the Inspector-General of Police for what she described as the police leadership’s prompt response to emerging security challenges across the country.

She said responsive leadership within the nation’s security architecture was helping to restore public confidence in law enforcement.

The conference brought together government officials, lawmakers, security experts, civil society organisations, academics and private sector stakeholders to deliberate on constitutional reforms, operational models, funding mechanisms and accountability frameworks for the proposed establishment of state police in Nigeria.