Benjamin Kalu, the deputy speaker of the house of representatives, has renewed the call for the creation of state police, describing it as critical to addressing Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja after returning from Geneva, where he represented Nigeria at the 55th WTO–Inter-Parliamentary Union Public Forum, Kalu said the country’s centralised policing system is outdated and falls short of global best practices.
“The only way we can achieve effective security is by unbundling the centralised structure, just as other countries operate municipal and state policing systems,” he said.
Kalu noted that the state police bill before the national assembly is designed to improve response time and bring policing in line with international standards.
A national public hearing on the bill is scheduled for Monday to allow Nigerians share their views.
He argued that the broader need for security outweighs fears that state police could be misused.
The deputy speaker also disclosed that Nigeria and other African delegations are pushing for Afrocentric issues to feature prominently at the WTO ministerial conference slated for Yaoundé in March 2026, insisting that “Africa and its problems must be on the table, not outside the room.”
