Nigeria: PSC Unveils Roadmap for Implementation of State Police

Abuja — The Police Service Commission (PSC) has unveiled a roadmap for the implementation of State Police in Nigeria, calling for a careful review of the foundational issues affecting the Nigeria Police Force as the nation moves toward establishing state policing structures.

The Chairman of the PSC, DIG Hashimu Salihu Argungu (rtd), made the call when he received the Committee for the Implementation of State Police, led by Professor Olu Ogunsakin, during a working visit to the Commission's headquarters in Abuja.

According to the PSC's Head of Protocol and Public Affairs, Torty Njoku Kalu, the delegation sought to leverage the institutional memory and expertise of the PSC Board, recognising its central role in the country's policing landscape.

Professor Ogunsakin described the task before the Committee as monumental, stressing the need for guidance from the PSC.

"We cannot do it alone without tapping into the wisdom of the PSC. We are here to benefit from your knowledge to review the landscape, structure, and foundation that will assist the Nigeria Police Force moving forward," he said, describing DIG Argungu as a "fountain of knowledge."

In response, DIG Argungu presented a detailed, step-by-step approach for actualising effective state policing.

He urged the Committee to examine the root causes driving the demand for state police, to identify lessons from past challenges, and to make necessary reforms.

"Find out what went wrong that necessitated the quest for the creation of state police," he advised.

He highlighted the importance of clarifying the relationship between federal and state offences, distinguishing public from private wrongs, and reviewing obsolete laws in the 21st-century context.

DIG Argungu also recommended studying countries with successful state police models, analyzing their challenges, and adapting lessons to the Nigerian context.

He assured the Committee that they should request additional time if needed to ensure a thorough and effective outcome.

The Committee's mandate is to propose an operational framework for the establishment and coordination of state police structures, covering recruitment, training standards, and resource allocation.

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