State police: Lagos Assembly rejects IGP Egbetokun's position

The Lagos State House of Assembly has kicked against the position of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Olukayode Egbetokun on the establishment of state police.

IGP Egbetokun had in April opposed the call for the establishment of state police because, according to him, it would increase ethnic tension and cause divided loyalty in states of the federation among other misgivings he highlighted.

Alternatively, the IGP suggested that the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps be merged with the police force.

However, the speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, on Monday, noted that the FRSC and the NSCDC have not been able to solve the problems of accidents on roads and pipeline vandalism respectively.

Obasa wondered how effective they would be if they were merged with the police.

The speaker noted that the state has the Security Trust Fund through which successive administrations have provided enormous support to the police command, but a…