The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has expressed reservations over the proposed establishment of state police, warning that governors could deploy the security structure for political purposes.
Naijaonpoint reports that Kwankwaso, who is also the national leader of the Kwankwassiyya Movement, stated this during an interview with News Central TV on Thursday night.
He argued that the renewed push for state police was partly a consequence of leadership failures, particularly in Northern Nigeria, where insecurity has remained a major concern.
Kwankwaso said the idea carried significant dangers if adequate safeguards were not put in place.
“There is a huge leadership failure in Northern Nigeria. State police is as a result of that failure.
“There are so many dangers associated with state police. The governors would want to use them for political protection,” he said.
The former Kano State governor warned that without strong oversight, state-controlled police formations could become tools in the hands of political office holders.
Kwankwaso also raised concerns over the possible proliferation of weapons if state police formations are created across the country.
The former governor of Kano State warned, “The government must not allow the circulation of small arms just like that.”
