Diaspora Group Advocates Regional Police System Over State Policing
- 6 hours ago
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A United States-based socio-political organisation, Ndi Igbo Worldwide Union (NIWU), has urged the Nigerian government to consider establishing a regional police structure rather than adopting the proposed state police system.
In a statement issued by its president, Mazi Ben Nwankwo, and secretary, Chief Charles Edemuzo, the group said regional policing would provide a more effective response to Nigeria’s worsening security challenges, including kidnappings, banditry, and violent crime.
The union acknowledged President Bola Tinubu’s push for state police as a step toward decentralising security but argued that a regional system would deliver stronger accountability and operational efficiency. According to the group, policing structures aligned with Nigeria’s geopolitical zones would help officers better understand local languages, cultures, and community dynamics.
NIWU also pointed to Nigeria’s pre-1966 regional governance model, noting that regions once managed their own police forces while pursuing rapid economic and institutional development.
The organisation warned that state-controlled police formations could be vulnerable to political interference by governors, potentially leading to abuse of power. It maintained that regional policing would provide broader oversight while preventing the fragmentation associated with multiple state-level forces.
The diaspora group therefore called on the federal government and the National Assembly to prioritise constitutional reforms that would enable the creation of regional police institutions as part of wider efforts to address insecurity across the country.
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