Former Police Commissioner Balarabe Sule has issued a stern warning regarding the recent legislative approval of state-level police forces in Nigeria. Speaking with Vanguard, Sule argued that the initiative will likely fail due to insufficient financial backing and potential political exploitation by state governors.
Sule highlighted five primary risks: fiscal instability, systemic corruption, misuse of authority, conflicting interests, and a lack of standardized operations. He emphasized that if officers are not compensated properly, the risk of professional corruption increases significantly. Furthermore, he raised concerns that governors might manipulate these forces to target political rivals, rendering traditional checks and balances ineffective.
The retired official also noted that the unique economic circumstances of each state make a uniform policing strategy difficult to maintain. However, Sule did concede that the model offers advantages in community-based intelligence, as locally recruited officers are often better acquainted with their own jurisdictions and the inhabitants within them.
