Senator Ali Ndume has thrown his weight behind the establishment of state police, arguing that Nigeria’s current policing structure is inadequate to effectively secure the country’s growing population and address persistent security challenges.
Speaking on the issue of policing and national security, the lawmaker said his support for state police is driven by the glaring shortage of personnel within the Nigeria Police Force.
“What prompts me to support state police 100 per cent is the fact that the police we currently have are not adequate,” Ndume said.
According to him, Nigeria’s police strength stands at fewer than 400,000 officers, a figure he described as grossly insufficient for a nation with a population exceeding 200 million people.
The senator maintained that Nigeria requires at least one million police officers to meet acceptable policing standards and improve security coverage across the country.
His comments come amid renewed debates over the creation of state police, with supporters arguing that decentralised policing would enhance local intelligence gathering, faster response times and more effective crime prevention, while critics warn of potential political abuse by state governments.
The call for police reform has gained momentum as Nigeria continues to grapple with banditry, kidnapping and other security threats in several regions of the country.
