APC’s Osita Okechukwu calls for urgent activation of SPCU amid rising insecurity

Amid growing insecurity and silence over the creation of State Police, a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Osita Okechukwu, has urged the Federal Government to immediately operationalize the Special Police Constabulary Units (SPCU) provided for in the Nigeria Police Act 2020.

In a press statement released Tuesday, Okechukwu said the SPCU remains “the most practical and constitutional solution” to Nigeria’s security crisis, particularly in the face of what he described as the “lukewarm attitude of the governors to establish State Police.”

“I sincerely propose the convocation of the Special Police Constabulary Unit (SPCU), given the palpable insecurity and the lukewarm attitude of the governors,” he stated.

“Luckily, the SPCU is expressly stated in Sections 105 to 109 of the Nigeria Police Act 2020.”

He recommended that the units be well-equipped with sophisticated weaponry to effectively tackle criminal activities at the grassroots level, including kidnapping, terrorism, and insurgency, while maintaining a non-authoritarian approach.

“The SPCU should be well-equipped with sophisticated arsenal to contain kidnappers, terrorists, and insurgents at the grassroots, without authoritarian antics.”

Mr. Okechukwu emphasized the need for a hybrid funding and recruitment system, where the Federal and State Governments jointly support the units, and recruitment is done in collaboration with local vigilante networks.

“The Special Constabulary Police Units nationwide should be funded by Federal and State Governments, jointly recruited from indigenes of the given state in collaboration with the governors and large input from the local community vigilantes.”

He further proposed a direct funding channel through the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), with deductions from federal, state, and local government allocations. According to him, this model would ensure functionality without compromising federal oversight or rendering governors powerless.

“SPCU should be strewn with scant Federal strings if possibly funded directly from FAAC… This will provide efficiency and necessary moderation, so that the Governors are not rendered helpless.”

Okechukwu’s remarks come amid public silence from the National Economic Council (NEC), which had previously disclosed in April that State Police had bipartisan support among governors. He criticized the lack of follow-through and described the official excuse from the April 24 NEC meeting as “tepid.”

“We jubilated when the NEC informed Nigerians that majority of the 36 State Governors had in bipartisan manner endorsed the establishment of State Police,” he recalled.

“Albeit we have not heard from the same NEC since the April 24, 2025 meeting… Their communique after the meeting was a tepid statement.”

He quoted Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, who had said after the NEC meeting, “For your information, state police was part of our agenda today… unfortunately because of time demands… we were unable to get to that.”

“Now with over 200 brothers and sisters of ours killed in Yelwata; is the above statement not alarming?” Okechukwu asked.

“Despite the gruesome insecurity in our dear country, the National Economic Council has on the issue of State Police gone on voicemail.”

He also raised doubts about the wisdom of entrusting arms to some state governors, citing what he termed their “illiberal” tendencies.

“In good conscience, can we put our dear Governors in control of arms, when we know that they hate alternative views, most illiberal, and have scant regard to the rule of law doctrine?” he queried.

In conclusion, Okechukwu declared:

“Special Police Constabulary is the answer and will perform similar functions, if not better, because they will be better jointly funded.”