Abuja — Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has stressed the urgent need for Nigeria to establish state police as a viable response to the country’s rising insecurity. Kalu argued that centralised policing has proven inadequate, leaving communities vulnerable to banditry, terrorism, and other forms of violent crime.
Speaking in Abuja at a forum on security sector reforms, Kalu noted that federal policing alone cannot cover the vast and diverse terrain of the country. He explained that a decentralised police system would not only enhance grassroots intelligence gathering but also foster quicker response times during crises.
Kalu called on lawmakers, governors, and civil society to rally around the proposal, saying, “We cannot continue to recycle the same strategy that has failed us for decades. State police is no longer an option but a necessity if we want to secure the lives and property of Nigerians.”
He assured that the ongoing constitution review exercise offers a chance to address the issue once and for all, urging Nigerians to actively participate in the national public hearing scheduled for next week.
