Human rights lawyer Monday Ubani has urged the Nigerian government to exercise caution in the rush to establish state police forces, emphasizing the importance of making it an optional endeavor rather than a mandatory one.
His remarks come in the wake of discussions between President Bola Tinubu and governors regarding the creation of state police units to bolster efforts in combating the nation’s escalating insecurity crisis.
Addressing concerns over potential abuse of power by state governors if given control over police forces, Ubani proposed a comprehensive solution during an appearance on Friday’s edition of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
“My answer to that is that we must try as much as possible to make the law to be very robust. What do I mean by that? We must create a system in which we state what constitutes an abuse by the state agencies,” Ubani asserted.
Highlighting the need for stringent safeguards, the former vice-president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) stressed the importance of establishing clear guidelines to prevent misuse of authority within the proposed state policing framework.
“We must also make it optional. That is very important because any state that wants to run a state policing system must have the requisite funding,” Ubani emphasized.
In his recommendations, Ubani emphasized the necessity for adequate funding and resources to ensure the effective functioning of state police units, including provisions for necessary equipment, training, and welfare support for officers.