The National Assembly’s passage of the state police bill has been described by the South-South Youths Initiative SSYI as rushed.
The group stated this in a letter addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Thursday.
The letter was copied to the Senate President, Speaker, House of Representatives, Minister of interior, Chief of Army Staff, Director General
Department of state security service Dss, Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC, lState Governors, Chairman,
Police Service Commission, Inspector General of Police, Nigeria Police Force and Concerned Stakeholders
The group in the letter expressed serious reservation about the passage of the state police bill without addressing fundamental defects in policing system in the country.
It therefore called on the President, the National Assembly, Governors, and all stakeholders to halt the current state police process and return to the drawing board.
The letter read, “The *South-South Youths Initiative SSYI* writes on behalf of millions of Niger Delta youths who are watching with deep concern the rush to adopt “State Police” in Nigeria without addressing the fundamental defects in our policing system.
“While we are not opposed to reforms that improve security and bring policing closer to the people, SSYI *condemns the current process and structure of State Police* being pushed across Nigeria. The negative implications far outweigh the promises if left unchecked:
“State Police under the control of Governors will become a private army for political intimidation, election rigging, and suppression of opposition. We have seen how state-controlled institutions are abused. Handing Governors direct control of armed police will deepen authoritarianism and threaten democracy.
“Policing tied to state executives will recruit, promote, and deploy based on ethnicity, religion, and political loyalty rather than merit and law. This will worsen divisions in our multi-ethnic states like Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, and across Nigeria.
“Most states cannot pay salaries regularly. A poorly funded State Police means poorly trained, poorly equipped officers who will resort to extortion and brutality. This will increase insecurity, not reduce it.
“Multiple state commands with no clear accountability framework will clash with federal agencies, NSCDC, DSS, and even among themselves. This confusion will embolden criminals and terrorists.
“Instead of rushing into State Police, the Federal Government and National Assembly must prioritize *holistic police reform* that fixes what already exists:
“The appointment of the Inspector General of Police IGP* and *State Commissioners of Police CP should pass through transparent, strict administrative processes. Appointments should require Senate confirmation, public vetting, fixed tenure, and removal only through due process — not at the whims of the President or Governors.
“Empower the Police Service Commission, establish independent Police Complaints Commission in every state, and enforce body cameras + digital case tracking.
“Pay living wages, provide modern equipment, psychological support, and continuous training on human rights and community policing.
“Build a federal police structure that is decentralized, intelligence-driven, and accountable to communities without handing guns to politicians.
“Your Excellency, Nigeria does not need 36 armed political militias called “State Police”. What Nigeria needs is one professional, well-funded, accountable Nigeria Police Force that serves the people, not politicians.
“We therefore call on you, the National Assembly, Governors, and all stakeholders to halt the current State Police process and return to the drawing board,Any reform must protect the rights of citizens, especially in the Niger Delta and Nigeria at large where abuse of security agencies has a painful history.
“We remain committed to peace, but we will mobilize Niger Delta youths to resist any policing model that threatens peace, democracy, and national unity.
“We trust in your leadership and commitment to justice, Mr. President”.
