NEW YORK, United States : Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, stated on Friday that the implementation of a state police system will enhance community-based law enforcement and intelligence gathering.
Okay News reports that Disu detailed the initiative while attending the UN Chiefs of Police Summit at the United Nations headquarters.
He stated that establishing state-level police forces will require extensive consultations, comparative studies, and capacity building before full operationalisation. “We are still at the teething stage. We need experience, education and comparative studies from jurisdictions already practising state police,” Disu said.
The proposed State Police Bill seeks to move policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List of the constitution, empowering state governments to establish and fund their own police forces alongside the centrally controlled Nigeria Police Force managed by the Federal Government. “It will bring policing closer to the people because officers will better understand the communities they serve. It will take us back to the era when almost everybody knew those policing their communities,” Disu said.
Disu also addressed the country’s involvement in global peacekeeping, stating that deployments began in Congo in 1960. “There is virtually no UN mission where you will not find Nigerian personnel serving with distinction,” he said. He stated that the country has lost multiple police personnel during these international deployments. “The United Nations will never joke with Nigeria’s contributions because of our commitment and sacrifices,” he said.
