By Najeeb Sani
Youth leaders in the North-East have called for strong oversight and safeguards in the proposed decentralisation of the Nigeria Police Force that allows states governments to establish states police.
In separate interviews with our correspondent, the youth leaders who expressed opposing positions, agreed that accountability must be central to any new policing arrangement.
Mu’azu Hina, North-East coordinator of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), said he supports state police, “but only with constitutional protections and independent monitoring.
He called for the establishment of independent oversight bodies, transparent recruitment processes and strict disciplinary measures to check abuse.
“Security challenges vary from state to state, and local policing can improve intelligence gathering, faster response times and stronger community trust,”Hina said.
He further called on young people to take an active role in monitoring security agencies through community policing committees, civil society organisations and oversight boards.
“The biggest potential improvement is faster response to local security challenges. The greatest risk is political interference,”he said.
The students leader added that state police could improve safety for young people by responding more quickly to crimes and working with communities to create a safer environment for education, business and agriculture.
On his part, Lawan Mustapha, Yobe State Coordinator of Youth Peace Mentors Initiative, called for caution and said he does not support the creation of state police “at this time”.
He opined that strengthening and reforming the existing Nigeria Police Force instead of creating another structure would have been the best.
“Given the current political environment in many states, I believe it could be misused by state governments against political opponents, activists and ordinary citizens,” Mustapha feared.
He expressed concern that state police could increase harassment and unequal treatment “especially during elections” if influenced by politics or favoritism.
The peace mentor however called for vigilance from youths and civil society to monitor security operations and report misconduct if state police is eventually established.
