National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Seriake Dickson, has commended President Bola Tinubu’s move towards establishing state police but advised that the process should be slowed down.
Speaking on Sunday Politics, a Channels Television programme, Dickson said priority should be given to tackling terrorism and general insecurity, suggesting that full implementation of state police be left for the next administration.
“President Tinubu should slow down the process of state police creation,” he stated. While supporting the decentralisation of policing, Dickson called for the simultaneous decentralisation of mineral rights, which he described as true resource control.
He proposed an alternative approach: first decentralising policing to the zonal level, followed by constitutional amendments that would allow governors to appoint police commissioners in collaboration with the Police Service Commission (PSC).
These appointees would then face screening and oversight by the State Houses of Assembly.
Dickson’s position echoes concerns raised by others, including NDC presidential candidate Peter
