FG urged to establish state police with safeguards
Nigeria's security challenges demand state police anchored in constitutional clarity and institutional safeguards. Ethiopia's decentralized model demonstrates effectiveness in community policing and intelligence gathering. A 1990s constitutional reform platform identified state police as viable for peace, though political interference risks persist. Ethiopia's federal-state police balance enhances security but its ethnic military structure offers cautionary lessons. Nigeria should adopt state police without delay, establishing independent commissions with civil society representation and federal oversight through a Police Council chaired by the Inspector-General. Concerns about governor abuse are surmountable with robust safeguards.