The Convener of the Police Integrity Movement, Isaiah Davies Ijele, has welcomed Nigeria’s proposed state police system but warned that inadequate funding, weak oversight and poor accountability could undermine its effectiveness.
Speaking on Arise TV on Saturday, July 4, 2026, Ijele said he had long advocated for community policing and described state policing as a step toward improving security in communities affected by banditry and other violent crimes.
He argued that Nigeria’s policing crisis extends beyond decentralisation, noting that the country has fewer than 400,000 police personnel serving millions of citizens. According to Ijele, poor funding remains the biggest challenge.
“Over thousands of police stations in Nigeria, the allocation for each police station is ₦20,000 as a monthly allowance, and sometimes that money does not even come every month,” he said, adding that delays of up to five months leave officers unable to fuel vehicles or conduct operations.
Ijele urged the National Assembly to reduce the cost of governance and increase police funding. He also opposed granting governors sole authority to appoint state police commissioners, proposing that nominations be reviewed by the Police Service Commission and approved by the Inspector-General of Police to prevent political interference.
Citing his experience during the 2023 general elections, Ijele called for strong legal safeguards, stressing that the success of state policing would depend on proper implementation. The proposed legislation has passed the National Assembly and now awaits consideration by state Houses of Assembly as part of the constitutional amendment process.
