A former Chief of Army Staff, Abdulrahman Dambazau, has said the establishment of state police in Nigeria would only succeed if the system is built on professionalism, accountability, and strict operational standards.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Dambazau warned that state police formations must be shielded from the influence of state governors to prevent their use against political opponents.

He stressed the need for rigorous profiling, vetting, and training of personnel to ensure competence and reduce misconduct within the proposed policing structure.

According to him, any framework for state policing must also provide national oversight and standard operational guidelines to prevent human rights violations and the rise of ethnic militias.

Dambazau said effective policing requires proper training, adequate equipment, discipline, transparency, accountability, and respect for the rule of law and human rights.

He noted that many rural communities affected by insecurity currently lack sufficient law enforcement presence, which he said may explain growing calls for decentralised policing across the country.

The former army chief stated that decentralising the police system alone would not automatically solve insecurity unless professionalism and operational standards are prioritised.

“To make it professional, you have to train it well, equip it, ensure there is absolute discipline, and that the welfare of personnel is taken care of very well,” he said.

He also emphasised the importance of public trust and cooperation, noting that communities without confidence in security agencies often resort to alternative arrangements for protection.

Dambazau, who is Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to China, further stated that state governments interested in establishing police formations must be prepared to adequately fund them and invest in human capital development to ensure effectiveness.