IHRC cautions that state police will not solve Nigeria’s security challenges and urges constitutional, rights-centred reform

The International Human Rights Commission Relief Fund Trust (IHRC–RFT) has said that the proposed creation of state police will not provide a comprehensive solution to Nigeria’s persistent security challenges.

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The statement, signed by Abdullahi Bakoji Adamu, Country Director of IHRC–RFT, comes after remarks by Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu, who indicated that state police would become a reality.

“From a security and human rights perspective, we maintain that the establishment of state police will not constitute a comprehensive solution to Nigeria’s security challenges,” the commission said.

The organisation cited Section 214(1) of the Nigerian Constitution, which mandates a single national police structure to preserve unity and institutional neutrality.

IHRC–RFT warned that decentralising police powers in Nigeria’s politically sensitive environment could encourage the misuse of security forces against political opponents, fuel ethnic or sectional bias, strain state resources, and weaken intelligence coordination.

The commission also referred to Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, emphasising the right to life and personal security.

“We strongly call for an end to the politicisation of security matters in Nigeria. If security continues to be mixed with partisan interests, sustainable peace and justice will remain unattainable,” the IHRC statement said.

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The organisation urged the government to pursue security reform that is constitutional, professional, rights-centred, and forward-looking, serving the nation as a whole rather than sectional or partisan interests.