Retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Wilson Inalegwu has warned that Nigeria’s proposed state police system will fail if it is staffed with political thugs, vigilante members or loyalists of political parties instead of professionally recruited officers.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, Inalegwu said the success of state police would depend largely on a transparent recruitment process that prioritises professionalism, competence and political neutrality.
“We are praying that they will not use members of vigilante, members of thugs, supporters of political parties or individuals to form the new class of this police force,” he said.
While supporting the establishment of state police as a way to improve manpower and strengthen security nationwide, the former Kogi State Commissioner of Police cautioned that the composition of the force would determine its effectiveness.
According to him, recruiting politically affiliated individuals or vigilante members would erode public confidence and turn the proposed force into an instrument of political manipulation rather than a professional law enforcement agency.
Drawing from Nigeria’s history, Inalegwu recalled the concerns surrounding the former Native Authority Police, which he said was largely made up of political party supporters and thugs.
“Majority of the police in the Native Authority were formed from supporters of political parties and were formed from thugs, and that was a fear that was expressed in 1958 where the minorities expressed fear,” he said.
He stressed the need for strict recruitment standards, professionalism and strong oversight mechanisms to ensure state police remain accountable and operate within the law.
The retired AIG also defended the Nigeria Police Force, arguing that its shortcomings are largely the result of chronic underfunding, inadequate manpower and poor logistics rather than a lack of competence.
“The Nigerian Police Force today is grossly underfunded and logistics are not provided. Otherwise, the Nigerian Police Force is a fantastic organisation. It is competent and able to do the job of policing in Nigeria,” he said.
Inalegwu maintained that the force possesses the institutional capacity to fulfil its constitutional responsibilities but has been weakened by years of insufficient funding and operational support. He noted that shortages of personnel, equipment and logistics have left officers overstretched and under-resourced, adding that greater investment in infrastructure, manpower and officers’ welfare would significantly improve policing and restore public confidence.
He also expressed concern over the country’s weak institutions, warning that state police could easily become tools of political interference if adequate safeguards are not put in place.
“Our institutions are very weak and are not strong enough to withstand the torment of desperate politicians,” he said.
According to him, strengthening public institutions is essential to prevent state-controlled police forces from being used to intimidate political opponents instead of enforcing the law impartially.
Highlighting the importance of policing to national development, Inalegwu described the police as the cornerstone of internal security and crime prevention.
“The police is a critical institution, an institution that has primacy on internal security, on public management, on crime prevention. By the time we begin to have an effective police force that is catered for, the development of Nigeria will begin to rise. Nigeria will only develop with an effective police force,” he said.
His remarks come days after the Senate defended the passage of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (State Police) Bill, 2026.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele described the proposed legislation as “a child of necessity rather than political expediency” and “a product of national consensus, not cynicism.”
In a statement, Bamidele said the creation of state police has become an urgent national priority in response to Nigeria’s worsening security challenges. He added that the proposal has evolved over several years and enjoys broad public support despite criticism from some quarters, expressing confidence that it would significantly strengthen security across the country if eventually enacted.
