The Northern Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has voiced strong opposition to the Federal Government’s plan to establish state police, describing it as a distraction from the real issues crippling the country’s security system.
In a statement released in Kaduna on Thursday, September 4, the group’s National President, Isah Abubakar, said Nigeria’s insecurity challenges are rooted in years of underfunding, manpower shortages, poor welfare, outdated equipment, and corruption.
According to him, introducing state police would only add to the confusion.
“It is a misplaced priority. Creating state police is simply a waste of time. What we need is a commitment to fix and strengthen the current system,” Abubakar declared.
He stressed that what the country needs is a massive recruitment drive into the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), coupled with improved welfare and accountability.
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Abubakar also expressed fears that state-controlled police could be manipulated by politicians to silence opponents.
“Nigerian politicians are not yet mature enough to handle a security structure without federal oversight. We are convinced they will abuse the authority entrusted to state police and violate citizens’ fundamental rights,” he warned.
As an alternative, the NYCN urged the government to expand the police force from fewer than 300,000 officers to at least five million to reflect the nation’s population of over 200 million.
“History will vindicate us. In moments of crucial national decisions like this, we must add our voice and say no to state police,” Abubakar insisted.
His remarks followed President Bola Tinubu’s recent disclosure that his administration is considering the creation of state police as part of wider reforms to combat insecurity.