Nigeria Needs State Police for Better Security Response – Deputy Speaker Kalu
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu has renewed calls for the establishment of state police, saying Nigeria can no longer afford to delay if it hopes to effectively confront its security challenges.
Kalu who spoke with journalists in Abuja on his return from Geneva, Switzerland on Saturday where he represented Nigeria at the 55th WTO-IPU Public Forum, said the country’s centralized policing system was inadequate and below global standards
He revealed that a national public hearing would hold on Monday to gauge citizens’ views on the proposed state police bill.
“Response time in Nigeria is far below the global standard,” he said. “The only way to fix this is to unbundle the current centralized structure. Fears of hijack should not stop us from securing lives and property. We must go for the greater good.”
The Deputy Speaker also lauded President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy, describing them as bold and necessary steps to reset the economy. He commended Nigerians for their resilience in standing with the President despite the initial pains.
“We needed a leader with courage, and President Tinubu has shown that,” Kalu said. “Though tough, the reforms are laying the foundation for sustainable growth. Nigerians have proved to be resilient, and today the dynamics have begun to change.”
On the global stage, Kalu disclosed that Nigeria played a key role in shaping discussions on digital trade at the WTO/IPU forum in Geneva. He argued that digital trade must be central to the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and called for a legislative tracking tool to monitor implementation across countries.
The lawmaker also rallied support for the Reserved Seats Bill for women in parliament, insisting that Nigeria cannot advance democratically or economically while excluding half of its population. “This is not compensation; it is an economic necessity. Nations with more women in leadership grow faster,” he said.
Kalu further noted his intervention in resolving a recent dispute involving local contractors in the Federal Capital Territory, which averted a planned strike after the release of payments. He stressed that while his global engagements are important, his priority remains Nigeria: “My WTO program was still on, but duty called. Nigeria comes first before the globe.”
