The National Conscience Party (NCP) on Saturday said it was opposed to the creation of State Police in the country.
The Lagos State Chairman of the party, Mr Fatai Ibu-Owo, made the party’s position known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He was reacting to the clamour for the creation of State Police in the face of rising security challenges in the country.
Ibu-Owo said the NCP opposed the idea because it would not solve the security problem in the country but worsen it.
He argued that the country had not attained the political maturity to adopt State Police, as the idea would be subjected to political manipulation.
Ibu-Owo said in a country where people still identified with tribes rather than the country, the idea was not good for national unity.
“We at NCP are opposed to the idea because the country is not ripe for such, especially in a country where politicians can be desperate.
“We believe that if states are allowed to have their own police, politicians would manipulate them to fight or crush the opposition, rather than fight security challenges.
“Just like governors are using the state electoral commissions to achieve their political whims and caprices in their respective states.
“Also, State Police is not good for a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural country like Nigeria.
“They could be used to dangerously settle ethnic scores, and this is not good for the unity of the country, ‘’he said.
Ibu-Owo said the way forward was for the government to strengthen the Federal Police by providing it with the wherewithal to deal with the country’s challenges.
He said that the major cause of security issues was unemployment and poverty, especially among the youth.
Ibu-Owo, therefore, urged the government to explore initiatives aimed at providing gainful employment for the teeming youths of the country.
He also urged Nigerians to tolerate and love one another, saying that would help stop clashes between citizens of different political, ethnic and religious backgrounds. (NAN)