IGP Canvasses Merger Of NSCDC, FRSC With Police

On Monday, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun called on the Federal Government to merge the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), with the police for effectiveness.

Egbetokun made the call during the National Dialogue on State Policing, which was conducted by the House of Representatives in Abuja on Monday, under the theme ‘Pathways to Peace: Reimagining Policing in Nigeria’.

Representing the IGP, Assistant Inspector General of Police, Ben Okoro, emphasized that the NSCDC and FRSC were duplicating the duties of the police force.

Highlighting the challenges faced by the Police, Egbetokun expressed concerns about the insufficient training and manpower they currently have.

He also pointed out that many police barracks were in a state of disrepair due to the lack of maintenance and renovation, negatively impacting the performance of the officers.

Debunking the idea of state police, Egbetokun asserted that Nigeria is not yet ready for such a system and urged proponents to consider merging the NSCDC and FRSC with the police instead to enhance efficiency.

He cautioned against the potential misuse of state police by governors to suppress opposition in their respective states and warned of conflicts of interest arising from jurisdictional issues if state police were established.