The proposed establishment of state police forces across Nigeria must be firmly rooted in accountability, professionalism, and community service, rather than used as a tool for political repression.

This warning was delivered by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, PhD, CFR, during his address at the 2026 South-East Regional Security Summit, themed “Collaborative Approaches to Strengthening Security and Regional Stability.”

?Kalu, who serves as Chairman of the House Committee on the Review of the Constitution, highlighted that Nigeria’s centralized policing model is increasingly ill-equipped to provide the necessary local knowledge, manpower, and rapid response times required by the nation.

Pointing to the Executive Bill (HB 2797) on the Establishment of State Police Services, he praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for taking bold steps to address these long-standing structural flaws.

He further commended the Federal Government's expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to twelve divisions, alongside plans to recruit roughly 28,000 additional personnel.

?Addressing the summit organized by the Ministry of Defence and the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South-East), Kalu emphasized that decentralizing policing should complement the Nigeria Police Force rather than undermine it.

He assured the public that the National Assembly will ensure robust safeguards against political misuse are woven into constitutional amendments.

Beyond local policing, Kalu noted that criminal networks cross borders, demanding a regional strategy that includes joint intelligence-fusion mechanisms, shared databases, interoperable communications, and modern technological tools like drones, forensic capabilities, and automated surveillance.

?To turn regional collaboration into tangible results, Kalu proposed the creation of a permanent South-East regional security coordination council and a unified intelligence platform.

He called on relevant institutions to deliver a complete operational plan within 60 days—outlining funding, agency responsibilities, and clear performance metrics—and urged stakeholders to reconvene in six months to evaluate concrete progress.

Reaffirming the commitment of the House of Representatives, Kalu pledged continued legislative, legislative oversight, and budgetary support to ensure public funds yield measurable safety improvements for all Nigerians.