The senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has cautioned that state police must not be allowed to become an instrument of political oppression, executive intimidation or abuse by governors.
Akpoti-Uduaghan gave the warning on Thursday in Abuja while speaking as a panelist at the “Building a National Consensus for State Police and National Security” conference organised by ARISE News and THISDAY.
She said although decentralised policing had become necessary in view of Nigeria’s security challenges, any constitutional amendment establishing state police must include strong safeguards to protect citizens’ rights, prevent political interference and ensure accountability.
According to her, state police should be designed to serve the people, protect democracy and operate strictly under the rule of law.
“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 senator warned that without constitutional safeguards and institutional independence, state police could be used by governors and other powerful interests to intimidate political opponents, silence dissent and victimise ordinary citizens.
She said the police, whether at the federal or state level, must be shielded from political control if it is to effectively fight crime and reduce insecurity.
Akpoti-Uduaghan also raised concerns about the proposed National Police Council structure, especially if it is chaired by the President with the 36 state governors as members.
She questioned how such a body would be prevented from becoming a political club instead of a genuine institution working in the interest of Nigerians.
“If we call the police commander and the commander is in default of compliance, who will ordinary citizens report to? And how will we ensure that the National Police Council, which will be chaired by the President of Nigeria and have the 36 state governors as members, does not become just a talk shop or a political club? How do we make it genuine and in the interest of Nigerians and all political parties?” she asked.
While declaring support for the decentralisation of policing, the senator said the success of state police would depend largely on adequate and sustainable funding.
She urged the Federal Government to develop a transparent funding mechanism that would guarantee operational efficiency, intelligence gathering, personnel welfare, training and modern security infrastructure across the states.
“Funding is one of the most important aspects the Federal Government must address. Without adequate and sustainable financing, state police will struggle to deliver on their constitutional responsibilities,” she said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan identified personnel welfare, training, intelligence gathering and the provision of modern equipment as key areas that must be addressed in any funding framework for state policing.
She also called for the deployment of smart technology in the fight against insecurity, saying criminals and terrorists are increasingly using social media and digital platforms to communicate, recruit and even seek public attention.
Referring to reports of bandits using social media platforms to offer giveaways to Nigerians, the senator questioned why security agencies had not been able to track and apprehend such actors.
“Yes, I have spoken loudly about the need to deploy smart technologies to protect against the excesses of insecurity,” she said.
She added that the use of technology would help security agencies track criminal networks, improve intelligence gathering and respond faster to emerging threats.
Akpoti-Uduaghan commended President Bola Tinubu and the Inspector-General of Police for what she described as prompt and decisive responses to security challenges across the country.
“I commend Mr President and the Inspector-General of Police for their prompt and decisive actions on security issues. That kind of responsiveness builds public confidence,” she said.
According to her, the responsiveness of the police leadership is important in rebuilding public trust in Nigeria’s security architecture.
She urged Nigerians not to give up on the country, stressing that citizens must support efforts aimed at strengthening security and rebuilding national confidence.
“As long as we are citizens, we cannot give up. Nobody will help us build our country,” she said.
She expressed optimism that effective local policing, if properly structured and protected from abuse, could help address insecurity at the grassroots.
“With local policing, we are going to put to rest the issue of insecurity,” she added.
The conference brought together ministers, security chiefs, civil society leaders, academics and private sector stakeholders to examine constitutional amendments, operational models, funding mechanisms and accountability frameworks for state policing.
Organisers said resolutions from the conference would contribute to the ongoing national conversation on strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture while safeguarding democratic principles and citizens’ rights.