NYCN Rejects State Police, Calls It a Recipe for Abuse and Misplaced Priority

The Northern Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has strongly opposed the proposed creation of state police, describing it as a “misplaced priority” and a “waste of time” for the federal government.

In a statement by its National President, Isah Abubakar, the council argued that establishing state police would merely duplicate existing agencies without addressing the root problems weakening Nigeria’s security system.

According to the NYCN, current security agencies are already overwhelmed by chronic underfunding, manpower shortages, inadequate equipment, poor welfare packages, and allegations of corruption. Instead of creating new agencies, the group suggested that government should recruit and train more officers within the existing Nigeria Police Force while ensuring they are properly motivated through adequate allowances and welfare.

The Council warned that state police would likely fall under the control of politicians, paving the way for abuse of power and violations of citizens’ rights. It further argued that Nigerian politicians lack the maturity to manage such a sensitive institution without federal oversight.

NYCN urged the federal government to set up a committee for a comprehensive reform and expansion of the Nigeria Police Force, stressing that a country of over 200 million people requires a minimum police strength of 5 million, compared to the current figure of less than 300,000.