The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has cautioned President Bola Tinubu against rushing the proposed establishment of state police, warning that inadequate preparation could create additional security challenges in Nigeria.
Ayodele gave the warning on Friday in a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, urging the Federal Government to address outstanding issues before moving ahead with the proposed reform.
The cleric said although state police could help tackle insecurity across the country, its implementation required careful planning and adequate safeguards to prevent conflicts between state police formations and the existing Nigeria Police Force.
He warned that without proper arrangements, disagreements could arise between the two policing structures, potentially complicating efforts to combat crime and terrorism.
“There will be a lot of issues between the state police and the regular police. It is not something to rush; it will not end crime or terrorism. There will be a lot of things involved,” Ayodele said.
He maintained that the government needed to consider the various factors involved in managing state police before implementing the policy.
According to him, state policing could contribute to addressing Nigeria’s security challenges if properly established, but poor planning could undermine its intended benefits.
“State police is a good initiative; it is an initiative that can help Nigeria’s insecurity, but if it is not well established, it will only create more problems for the country,” he added.
Ayodele urged the Tinubu administration to exercise caution and ensure that the necessary provisions were in place before proceeding with the initiative.
The debate over state police has remained a significant part of Nigeria’s security reform discussions, particularly amid persistent concerns over crime, terrorism and the effectiveness of the country’s existing policing structure.
