Nigerian Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi has weighed in on the National Assembly’s recent movement toward establishing state-level police forces. While acknowledging that decentralizing Nigeria’s current security structure is a long-overdue necessity, Obi warned that the current legislative process feels rushed and lacks proper public consultation.
Obi raised significant alarms regarding the potential for political abuse, noting that many citizens fear state police units could be manipulated by governors to target political opponents or interfere with electoral integrity. He argued that the present approach appears disorganized and lacks sufficient safeguards against executive overreach.
To ensure these new forces serve the public rather than political interests, Obi proposed the establishment of independent oversight bodies, such as state-level Police Service Commissions, that remain entirely separate from executive influence. Due to concerns that the current administration might use these forces to influence the 2027 general elections, he recommended postponing the implementation of the bill until after that voting period concludes.
