State police will lead to chaos, APC chieftain warns

…Says governors will misuse security outfit for intimidation

By Anayo Okoli

ENUGU — A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, Prince Matthew Onyebuchi Agu, has strongly opposed the proposed establishment of state police, warning that the move could plunge Nigeria into chaos and deepen political intimidation across the country.

Agu, a former deputy governorship candidate under the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), said Nigeria is “not ripe” for state police, insisting that governors would abuse the security outfit for political vendetta, suppressing opponents and obstructing justice.

Describing the idea as “a recipe for chaos and obvious danger,” Agu urged the Federal Government to instead strengthen existing security initiatives such as forest guards and neighbourhood watch groups.

“My opposition to state police is borne out of my firsthand personal experience of abuse of power and total disregard for law and order exhibited by state officials in my own Enugu State,” he said.

“Nigeria is not ripe for state police, and any attempt to introduce it at this moment will be dangerous and may lead to total anarchy.”

Citing a land dispute involving his community, Obollo-Affor in Udenu Local Government Area, Agu recalled how a former governor allegedly used senior police officers to frustrate court judgments and harass residents.

“That was with federal police. Imagine if he had full control of state police — the consequences would have been unimaginable,” he said.

Agu argued that politicians already manipulate state-backed security outfits, warning that granting them full control of armed state police would embolden abuse of power.

“They will simply use state police to oppress the people, intimidate opponents, and favour their allies. Many governors lack the patriotism and discipline required to manage such a sensitive institution,” he added.

Rather than create state police, Agu recommended that the Federal Government reorganize and legalize neighbourhood watch structures nationwide, placing them strictly under the supervision of the Nigeria Police Force.

“The neighbourhood watch should have clear responsibilities but must take instructions from the national police, not governors,” he said.

Agu insisted that placing an armed policing structure directly under governors would amount to “setting the country ablaze.”

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