First Reform And Restructure The Police Force- Ex IGP Abubakar

A former Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has said Nigeria is not mature for state policing considering the challenges it is currently facing.

He said this at the 20th Centre for Values in Leadership annual lecture and international symposium with the theme, “Insecurity, State Legitimacy and Human Progress in Nigeria” held in Lagos on Monday.

Abubakar said the country can start to talk of state police once it has a responsible and committed political leadership in this country.

He said, “There is no country in the world that has the best security without first reforming and restructuring the police force. Most of the Arab nations are police states and this is because the law is respected.

“No matter how big you are, you cannot break the law. But in Nigeria, when you go out there, you will see how everybody is blowing sirens on the road. You will see them carrying mobile police and military officers.

“Except we have a very responsible and committed political leadership in this country, that is when everything can change.

“If you have a state police and you have an irresponsible governor of the state, that means we are back to square one. We can ask for state police but we are not mature for it now in view of the challenges we are going through as a nation.

Abubakar also expressed concern over the welfare of the police force, just as he called for restraining and re-equipping the officers.