By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
Members of the Kogi State House of Assembly have thrown their weight behind the proposed establishment of State Police, saying decentralised policing will bring security closer to the grassroots, but insisting that strong accountability measures must come with it.
The lawmakers spoke during deliberations on the Sixth Alteration Bill, 2026. They argued that state policing would complement the existing Federal Police structure, improve intelligence gathering and enable faster responses to threats across communities.
In their view, it would also put local security in the hands of personnel who understand the language, culture, geography and peculiarities of the communities they serve.
Hon. Bode Ogunmola, representing Ogori-Magongo State Constituency, said the proposed constitutional amendment offered an opportunity to strengthen community-based policing while keeping the exercise of police powers subject to the rule of law.
However, he stressed that success would depend not only on creating additional policing authorities but also on building effective safeguards against political interference, personal grievances and abuse of power.
To that end, Ogunmola urged the House to ensure that the enabling legislation provides for merit-based recruitment, professional conduct, institutional independence and credible oversight.
He added that it should also provide for independent investigations into allegations of misconduct and adequate protection of citizens’ rights.
Also backing the bill, Hon. Umar Yahaya, representing Omala State Constituency, said the arrangement would allow Federal and State Police formations to operate side by side, with State Police focusing on community-specific security challenges.
He explained that recruiting qualified indigenes familiar with local languages, customs and terrain would sharpen intelligence gathering and help personnel spot suspicious movements, particularly in communities with difficult access routes.
Citing Bagana in Omala Local Government Area, which shares a boundary with Nasarawa State and is traversed by the River Benue, Yahaya said residents’ familiarity with their environment could provide valuable intelligence for tackling crime and insecurity.
He added that having personnel stationed within communities would allow quicker responses to emergencies, without waiting for orders to pass through several layers of command, a delay that could prove costly in fast-moving situations.
Even so, the lawmakers underscored the need to balance the benefits of decentralised policing with strong oversight.
Effective recruitment, accountability and respect for fundamental rights, they said, would be critical to ensuring that State Police Services enhance public safety without becoming instruments of political intimidation.