Wike Opposes State Policing, Says Nigeria Lacks Capacity

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed opposition to the adoption of state policing in Nigeria, citing the nation’s lack of institutional capacity to support such a system.

Speaking during a media chat on Sunday, Wike warned that the implementation of state or community policing could lead to widespread autocratic governance, with state governors wielding excessive power.

Naijaonpoint reports that the idea of state policing has remained a subject of debate for years, with several governors advocating for its adoption as a solution to Nigeria’s security challenges.

Last year, the Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, announced that all 36 states had submitted reports supporting the creation of state police.

Sani described the move as a crucial step towards enhancing security nationwide.

Wike, however, argued that the existing political and institutional frameworks in Nigeria lack the independence required to prevent abuse of power under a state policing system.

The former governor of Rivers State said,“In Nigeria, what system do we run? Is Abuja different from Nigeria when you talk about the police? People have been recommending community policing and state police.

“Knowing where we are, and where we are from, if you allow that, so many people would not come out of their houses. If they allow state policing today, nobody would oppose any state governor. It is either you would die for murder or for armed robbery. Our institutions are not such that are independent.”

Reflecting On Past Support For State Police

Wike acknowledged that he had supported state policing during his tenure as governor but noted that his position had since evolved.

“The mere fact that I supported state police [when I was governor], if I was wrong, I was wrong. If I was right, I was right.

“What we are saying is that our institutions are not strong to be independent of manipulation by the system,” he said.

During his first term as governor of Rivers State, Wike signed a bill establishing the Neighbourhood Safety Corps, tasked with crime detection, arrest of offenders, and carrying arms in their duties.