Ojukwu Canvasses  For Expediting Action On State Policing With Human Rights Safeguards 

Executive Secretary National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Chief Anthony Ojukwu SAN, has canvassed for expedited action on establishment of State Police in Nigeria.

He stressed that decentralising policing is necessary to improve security, shorten response time and strengthen the protection of citizens’ rights.

Chief Ojukwu canvassed this in Portharcourt on Tuesday while speaking during a panel session at the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), themed “Beyond Limits.”

He identified the slow response to security threats as one of the major weaknesses of Nigeria’s current centralised policing system, warning that citizens cannot continue to live in fear while waiting for security interventions, according to a statement by Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, Director Corporate Affairs and External Linkages.

“If you don’t have State Police, you can never have adequate security. We have over 200 million people in Nigeria with far less number of policemen to police them. The response time is so long that we only live by God’s grace,” he said.

According to the NHRC Executive Secretary, State Police would enable law enforcement agencies to respond more quickly to security threats because officers operating at the state and local levels would have greater knowledge of the terrain, communities and local security challenges.

“With State Police, the governors will have the wherewithal to respond quickly. The police will be more effective because they know the terrain; they know the people,” he stated.

While advocating decentralisation, Chief Ojukwu stressed that State Police must be built on strong human rights safeguards, accountability and independent oversight.

He warned against creating a policing structure that could be abused for political repression, unlawful arrests, torture, intimidation or other violations of citizens’ fundamental rights.

“We must insist that when the National Policing Bill comes, it must be well drafted. There must be a board that runs it. There must be oversight. Otherwise, it will become another problem,” he cautioned.

He emphasised that effective policing is not measured only by the ability to apprehend suspects, but also by the extent to which law enforcement agencies respect human dignity, due process, the rule of law and fundamental rights.

Chief Ojukwu therefore called on lawyers and citizens to remain vigilant and demand accountability from security agencies.

“Lawyers should be the people to insist on the right thing to do. If the police is going to arrest anybody, insist on the right procedure. Don’t let them abuse power. We have to watch them,” he said.

The NHRC Executive Secretary stressed that security and human rights are not competing objectives. Rather, he said, sustainable security can only be achieved when policing is anchored on legality, professionalism, accountability and respect for human rights.

He noted that persistent insecurity and delayed security responses have weakened public confidence in institutions and left many Nigerians feeling that their safety depends more on chance than on an effective system.

“Our people live by God’s grace because the system is not working. That must change.”

Chief Ojukwu concluded that Nigeria must move beyond a policing system that is overstretched and insufficiently responsive to local security realities.

“We cannot continue with a system where only a few police officers are expected to secure millions. It is time to go beyond limits and give Nigerians the security they deserve; securely, effectively and accountably.”