Group Advocates for State Police in Abuja for Indigenous Rights

A group has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to consider the establishment of state police in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The statement, signed by Akinwal Kasali and Fred Ojinika, emphasizes that Abuja, despite not being a state capital, is home to approximately 2.5 million indigenous people who deserve local policing.

The group argues that the current policing structure does not adequately represent the indigenous population, which consists of nine ethnic groups. They assert that the lack of state police in Abuja is a denial of the rights of its indigenous inhabitants and contradicts global best practices for capital cities.

The group proposes the formation of an Abuja Metropolitan Police, which would be drawn from the local population, to enhance security and governance in the territory.