Retired police chief Aderemi Adeoye dismisses abuse fears, hails Tinubu’s reform push
Former Commissioner of Police in Anambra, Aderemi Adeoye, has thrown his weight behind President Bola Tinubu’s proposal to establish state police, describing it as a “welcome development” that signals Nigeria’s progress toward a modernised security architecture.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, the retired police officer dismissed concerns about potential abuse of state police forces, insisting that proper safeguards can prevent misuse.
‘A Mark of Development’
Adeoye argued that decentralised policing is a global standard that Nigeria must embrace to tackle its evolving security challenges.
“In developed countries, they do not only have federal police; they also have state police and even local government police, which they call municipal or county police forces. This structure brings policing closer to the people and makes law enforcement an agent of problem-solving.”
He commended the President for his “courage, vision, and focus” in driving the conversation and securing buy-in from critical stakeholders, including the National Assembly.
Dismissing Abuse Fears
While acknowledging public anxiety about state police being used to oppress political opponents, Adeoye urged Nigerians to look beyond past experiences.
“The basic fear that the majority of our people have regarding state police is the fear of abuse. For example, political opponents believe that the government in power might use these forces to oppress them.”
He noted that while such fears “may have some traction based on previous experiences especially in the 1960s when the republic was still nascent we have come a long way since then.”
Adeoye called on the National Assembly to put “guardrails in place” to forestall abuse, adding: “Both are necessary the federal police will exist to handle federal crimes, while the state police will take care of security at the state level.”
Tinubu’s Constitutional Push
President Tinubu transmitted a constitutional alteration bill to the Senate on Tuesday, seeking to establish a legal framework for a dual policing structure that allows states to operate their own police services alongside the federal police.
The move comes amid a spike in insecurity across the country, with many stakeholders viewing state policing as critical to addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.
