Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, has said sustainable funding and robust accountability mechanisms are essential for the successful establishment and operation of state police in Nigeria.
Gatekeepers News reports that speaking on Thursday as a panellist at the ‘Building a National Consensus for State Police and National Security’ conference organised by ARISE News and THISDAY Newspaper in Abuja, the lawmaker stressed that while calls for state police have gained momentum, the initiative must be implemented with strong constitutional safeguards to prevent abuse.
According to Akpoti-Uduaghan, the creation of state police should not provide room for political intimidation or excessive executive control.
She warned that without institutional independence and clear constitutional protections, state police could be used against political opponents and ordinary citizens.
“State police should never become an instrument of political oppression or executive intimidation. We must build a policing system that serves the people, protects democracy and remains accountable to the rule of law,” she said.
The senator described sustainable funding as a critical pillar for the success of any state policing framework, warning that establishing new security institutions without a reliable financial model would weaken their effectiveness.
“Funding is one of the most important aspects the federal government must address. Without adequate and sustainable financing, state police will struggle to deliver on their constitutional responsibilities,” she said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan added that any funding framework should adequately cater for operational efficiency, personnel welfare, training, intelligence gathering and the deployment of modern security infrastructure across the states.
She also commended President Bola Tinubu and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for what she described as their prompt response to security challenges.
“I commend Mr President and the current Inspector-General of Police for their prompt responses and decisive actions on security issues.
“Such responsiveness strengthens public confidence and reinforces our collective commitment to securing Nigeria.”
The conference attracted policymakers, security experts, civil society organisations, academics and private sector stakeholders, who examined constitutional reforms, operational structures, funding models and accountability mechanisms for the proposed state police system.
