The Chairman of the Police Service Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu (rtd.), Wednesday urged members of the Committee for the Implementation of State Police to probe the cause of structural and operational failures within Nigeria’s policing system.
This is as the country considers the establishment of state police.
Argungu, according to a statement on Wednesday by the PSC’s spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, made the call when he received members of the Committee for the Implementation of State Police, led by its chairman, Olu Ogunsakin, during a working visit to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking during the meeting, Argungu advised the committee to identify and address the underlying problems that led to the growing demand for state police in Nigeria.
Find out what went wrong that necessitated the quest for the creation of state police,” he said.
The PSC chairman urged the committee to examine the relationship between federal and state offences, distinguish between public and private wrongs, and consider the implications of outdated laws in addressing contemporary security challenges.
He also recommended that the committee study countries with successful state policing systems, analyse the challenges they encountered and adapt relevant lessons to Nigeria’s context.
Argungu further encouraged the committee not to hesitate to request additional time, if necessary, to ensure a comprehensive and effective framework for the implementation of state police.
Earlier, Ogunsakin described the committee’s assignment as a major national responsibility and stressed the need to draw from the experience and expertise of the PSC.
“We cannot do it alone without tapping from the wisdom of the PSC. We are here to tap from your wealth of knowledge regarding the task before us to review the landscape, structure and foundation to assist the Nigeria Police Force to move forward,” he said, describing Argungu as a “fountain of knowledge.”
Members of the PSC board present during the visit included Paul Adamu Galumje (retd.), who represents the judiciary on the board; Taiwo Lakanu (retd.), representing the police; and the Secretary to the commission, Onyemuche Nnamani.
The committee is mandated to propose an operational framework for the establishment and coordination of state police structures in the country, including recruitment processes, training standards and resource allocation.
