State police should take effect after 2027 elections, says Peter Obi
In a statement on Friday, Obi described the passage of the bill by the national assembly as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s search for solutions to insecurity, noting that many Nigerians had long advocated the decentralisation of policing.
Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has called for the implementation of state police to be postponed until after the 2027 general election.
He warned that the proposed security structure could be vulnerable to political manipulation if introduced without adequate safeguards.
He said Nigeria’s size, diversity and security realities make a highly centralised policing system increasingly difficult to sustain.
“The recent passage of the State Police Bill by the National Assembly marks a significant legislative milestone in addressing a long-standing demand of the Nigerian people,” Obi said.