Amid escalating insecurity and rising bandit attacks across Nigeria, members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the North-Central zone have voiced strong opposition to the push for state police, warning that such a move could endanger the country’s democracy and religious harmony.
The APC group argued that establishing state police would grant governors unchecked power, potentially enabling them to suppress political opponents, intimidate minority communities, and erode democratic freedoms.
According to the group, placing armed forces directly under the control of state leaders could open the door to widespread abuse of power.
This warning follows comments by Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, who declared that “the time for state police has come” during the opening of the 2025/2026 legal year in Jos.
Rejecting Mutfwang’s position, the North-Central APC Forum, led by Saleh Zazzaga, insisted that introducing state police would destabilise the country rather than solve its security problems.
“Handing governors a police force of their own will only fuel impunity, weaken democracy, and endanger the lives of minority groups,” Zazzaga said.
“If federal police can be misused today, imagine the dangers of absolute state-controlled policing. What we are witnessing now would be nothing compared to the harassment, unlawful detentions, and even extra-judicial killings that could follow,” he added.
The Forum also raised concerns over possible religious persecution in the North-Central zone, alleging that some governors already prioritise religious interests over inclusive governance.
“Giving them armed control through state police would open the door to persecution of those who hold different beliefs,” the group stated.
Calling on President Bola Tinubu, lawmakers, and civil society organisations to reject the proposal, the Forum maintained that decentralising the police would only deepen Nigeria’s instability.
“State police is not a solution; it is an evil wind that could plunge Nigeria into a deeper crisis,” Zazzaga warned.
