The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, has said the proposed State Police must be people-focused and committed to protecting Nigerians while upholding human rights.
Grace Ike noted that for state policing to succeed, it must operate with professionalism, accountability, and respect for the rule of law, without becoming a tool for oppression or political witch-hunt.
She warned that the proposed state police must not become a tool for political intimidation or abuse of power, adding that any new policing structure must prioritise citizens’ safety, human rights and accountability.
Grace Ike made the declaration on Tuesday in Abuja at the 2nd Annual Distinguished Parliamentarian Lecture organised by the House of Representatives Press Corps.
She argued that state police could strengthen community security, deepen federalism and make policing more responsive to local realities.
The lecture had the theme: “The Imperative for State Police: Securing Communities, Strengthening Federalism”.
The NUJ chairman said Nigeria’s centralised policing system had left many states and communities waiting too long for security responses, arguing that locally based police formations would be better positioned to understand and address the peculiar security challenges of their areas.
