A public affairs analyst, Jide Ojo, has called for strong support from the executive and legislative arms of government for the newly appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Rilwan Disu, saying meaningful reforms in the Nigeria Police Force will be difficult to achieve without adequate funding and institutional backing.
Speaking with our reporter, Ojo noted that although many Nigerians have congratulated the new police chief on his appointment, the task before him remains enormous given the country’s current security challenges.
He stressed that effective policing requires not only capable leadership but also sustained financial and policy support from the government.
“They are congratulating him, but I do not envy him because so much is expected of him in terms of the security of our country,” Ojo said. “We are facing many security challenges, and he is coming in at a time when all eyes will be on him to provide substantial improvements in security.”
According to him, the National Assembly must ensure adequate budgetary allocations for the police, while the Presidency must ensure prompt release of approved funds to enable the new IGP implement reforms and strengthen security operations.
“A tree does not make a forest,” he added. “The IGP cannot use his personal funds to run the police. He needs government support to effectively discharge his duties.”
Ojo also reiterated his support for the establishment of state police, arguing that Nigeria’s large population and complex security challenges make centralized policing from Abuja ineffective.
He said the National Assembly should consider constitutional amendments that would allow the creation of state police while also putting safeguards in place to prevent potential abuse by state governors.
“The concern has always been that governors may manipulate state police for political purposes, but the judiciary can serve as a check against such abuses,” he said.
Ojo further argued that Nigeria’s justice system at the state level remains incomplete without state policing. He noted that several key institutions of the justice sector already operate at the state level, including State High Courts and correctional services.
According to him, recent constitutional amendments placing correctional services on the concurrent legislative list have further strengthened the case for decentralized policing.
“If we already have State High Courts and state correctional centres, then the missing link in that justice sector is the police,” he said. “The earlier we establish state police, the better.”
The analyst added that with clear legal frameworks, adequate equipment, and proper delineation of responsibilities between federal and state authorities, a decentralized policing structure could significantly improve security across the country.
