Omo Oduduwa Collective Backs State Police, Warns of Control

The Omo Oduduwa Collective, a socio-political group, praised the Federal Government's commitment to establishing state police, viewing it as a necessary step towards restructuring Nigeria's security architecture. They noted the current Nigerian police force's inadequacy, with a ratio of one officer to 600 citizens, far below the UN standard of one officer to 450 citizens.

The group emphasized that Nigeria operates under a federal constitution, which contradicts the centralized police system that has led to security failures. They pointed out that the proposed bill for state police must not create new forms of central control, particularly criticizing Section 214(10) that allows presidential oversight over the Inspector General of Police.

This provision could lead to abuses of power and undermine the federal structure. The collective also referenced a previous state police bill draft from the Governor's Forum in 2022, which did not include such presidential control clauses.

They urged for a genuine quest for autonomy in the security framework.