The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has expressed reservations over the proposed implementation of State Police, urging lawmakers and the Federal Government to ensure adequate safeguards are in place before the reform takes effect.
In a statement released on Friday, the coalition’s Acting National Chairman, Chief Peter Ameh, described the Senate’s passage of the constitutional amendment bill establishing State Police as a significant development in Nigeria’s security framework. However, he warned that the reform should not distract from the urgent need to strengthen the Nigeria Police Force.
Ameh argued that successive governments have failed to adequately recruit, equip, and fund the federal police despite escalating security threats, including banditry, kidnapping, insurgency, communal violence, and farmer-herder conflicts.
While acknowledging the potential benefits of State Police in improving local intelligence and community-based security responses, he cautioned that the initiative could be susceptible to political misuse if clear checks and balances are not established.
The CUPP leader stressed the need for independent oversight mechanisms, uniform operational standards, and sustainable funding structures to prevent abuse and ensure professionalism across state-controlled police formations.
He also warned that differences in states’ financial capacities could create disparities in policing standards and effectiveness, potentially undermining national security coordination.
Calling for a holistic approach to security reform, Ameh urged the Tinubu administration to fulfill its commitment to strengthening the Nigeria Police Force while addressing underlying drivers of insecurity such as poverty, unemployment, corruption, porous borders, and weaknesses in the criminal justice system.
According to him, State Police can only succeed if implemented transparently and backed by strong accountability measures that protect citizens’ rights and prevent political interference.