State police will revive political abuse of the 1960s, warns ex-CP Singham

Retired Commissioner of Police Muhammad Wakili (CP Singham)

State police will revive political abuse of the 1960s, warns ex-CP Singham

Retired Commissioner of Police Muhammad Wakili, popularly known as CP Singham, has warned against the proposed establishment of state police, arguing that the move would revive the political abuses that led to the abolition of regional policing in Nigeria more than five decades ago.

Speaking during an interview on the ongoing debate over state police, Wakili said decentralising the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) would not address the country’s deep-rooted security challenges, insisting that the real solution lies in strengthening the existing federal police structure.

According to the former police commissioner, Nigeria previously operated a decentralised policing system under the Native Authority Police, but the arrangement was eventually scrapped during the 1972 constitutional reforms because it was widely abused by political leaders.

Drawing from his personal experience, Wakili disclosed that his father served under the former Native Authority Police, giving him first-hand knowledge of how the system operated and why it ultimately failed.

“We have tested that system before and we know the consequences. I see no reason to drag Nigeria back to the 1960s because the same problems that existed then are still with us today,” he said.

The retired police chief argued that the country’s worsening insecurity is not caused by the absence of state police, but by years of inadequate investment in the Nigeria Police Force.

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He described the NPF as one of the most capable police institutions globally, noting that Nigerian officers consistently distinguish themselves during international peacekeeping and foreign missions whenever they are provided with modern equipment, proper logistics and improved welfare.

According to him, the force remains grossly underfunded, understaffed and poorly equipped to effectively tackle terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes across the country.

He urged the Federal Government to prioritise the recruitment of more police personnel, provide modern operational equipment, improve police training, renovate dilapidated barracks and enhance officers’ welfare instead of creating another policing structure.

“The government should recruit more policemen, give them proper training and equipment, and then see if they won’t perform well,” Wakili said.

The retired commissioner also blamed selective enforcement of the law and lack of accountability within public institutions for weakening public confidence in law enforcement.

According to him, officers found guilty of misconduct should be punished in accordance with the law, regardless of their rank, to serve as a deterrent and strengthen discipline within the police.

On concerns over political interference, Wakili insisted that state police would inevitably become tools in the hands of state governors.

He argued that no legal safeguards would be sufficient to prevent governors from using state-controlled police formations to intimidate political opponents or influence elections.

“It is impossible to stop governors from abusing state police. It is better to stop the move entirely than to deceive ourselves,” he said.

The former commissioner observed that some governors already complain that Commissioners of Police fail to obey their directives, explaining that such disagreements usually arise because police officers refuse to carry out instructions that violate existing laws.

“If governors can use political thugs to achieve their objectives today, what stops them from using state police tomorrow?” he asked.

Wakili further questioned the argument that state police would significantly improve Nigeria’s fight against insecurity.

He noted that despite decades of experience, the Nigeria Police Force has continued to battle insurgency, terrorism and banditry alongside the military, wondering how newly created state police organisations would suddenly succeed where existing security institutions continue to face enormous challenges.

“If the federal police have not completely defeated Boko Haram and banditry, I don’t see how state police will suddenly solve the problem,” he said.

According to him, state police may only be useful in handling minor offences such as thuggery, prostitution and drug-related crimes, while serious national security threats would continue to require federal intervention and coordination.

The retired police chief, however, acknowledged that issues relating to recruitment, operational powers, firearms, prosecution, jurisdiction and collaboration between federal and state police would ultimately depend on the legal framework establishing the proposed policing system.

He stressed that such a far-reaching constitutional reform should only proceed after extensive consultations with security experts, legal practitioners, civil society organisations and the general public.

Wakili also maintained that justice, patriotism and good governance remain the most effective weapons against insecurity.

According to him, Nigeria’s security challenges cannot be solved solely through structural reforms but by ensuring fairness, accountability and responsible leadership at all levels of government.

He concluded that strengthening the existing Nigeria Police Force, improving officers’ welfare and enforcing the rule of law would deliver better results than establishing state police.