A Professor of History at Obafemi Awolowo University, Chijioke Uwasomba, has warned that adopting state police in Nigeria without deep reflection could undermine the country’s already fragile security structure.
He spoke in Lagos on Thursday at the unveiling of Crime Beat Reporting in Nigeria, written by veteran crime journalist Frank Oshanugor. The event brought together key players from the media, security sector, and private organisations.
Uwasomba cautioned that tampering with established systems without understanding their historical foundations could weaken institutions and erode national identity. He linked the challenges confronting the Nigerian Police Force to prolonged military influence, chronic underfunding, and the proliferation of parallel security outfits.
He argued that introducing state police without first fixing these underlying issues may deepen instability rather than improve security.
The don called for a more deliberate approach, urging stakeholders to address structural deficiencies in the current policing system before considering sweeping reforms.
