Kalu to EU: State Police Bill Has Strong Safeguards Against Abuse

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has urged the international community to support Nigeria’s move to establish state police, saying the proposed legislation contains robust safeguards against abuse.
Kalu argued that the country’s current centralised policing structure is overstretched and no longer adequate for a nation covering 923,768 square kilometres with a population of more than 230 million.
He made the appeal while speaking at a reception hosted by the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, in Abuja on Tuesday.
The Deputy Speaker also sought the support of European Union Heads of Mission for Nigeria’s ongoing constitutional reform process, describing the establishment of state police as a critical component of efforts to strengthen governance and improve internal security.
According to him, the proposed State Police Bill provides strict constitutional and institutional safeguards to prevent abuse and ensure accountability.
He explained that, under the proposal, states would be empowered to establish their own police services with clearly defined jurisdictions, independent oversight mechanisms, professional recruitment standards, and a coordinated command structure that aligns with federal security agencies.
Kalu maintained that decentralising policing would enable faster responses to security threats, improve community policing, and enhance intelligence gathering while preserving national coordination.
“Nigeria is a federation spanning 923,768 square kilometres and home to more than 230 million people, according to United Nations estimates, yet it is policed by a single, centrally commanded force that is stretched far below the United Nations’ recommended ratio of one police officer to every 450 citizens.
“No other federation of our size operates this way. From Germany to India and from Canada to Australia, the world’s leading federations maintain locally administered police services while coordinating security nationally,” he said.