Former Governor of Abia State and Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has defended the proposed establishment of state police, insisting that state governments now have the financial capacity to fund their own police formations.

Kalu said concerns over the cost of maintaining state police are no longer justified, noting that improved federal allocations to states have enhanced their revenue base. He argued that the proposed policing structure is necessary to address Nigeria’s growing security challenges.

Speaking at his residence in Igbere, Abia State, the senator disclosed that the National Assembly is using the current legislative recess to fine-tune the constitutional amendment bill that will provide the legal backing for the creation of state police.

He also dismissed fears that governors could misuse state police for political purposes, saying the proposed legislation would include adequate safeguards to ensure accountability and prevent abuse of the system.

According to Kalu, the National Assembly will also amend the Police Act after the constitutional amendment is passed to establish the operational framework for state police across the country.

He expressed confidence that decentralising policing would strengthen community security, improve intelligence gathering and complement the efforts of federal security agencies in combating crime and insecurity nationwide. Visit www.jocomms.com for more news.