Despite Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s strong advocacy for the creation of state police, one of his former allies, Brigadier General John Sura (Rtd), has come out firmly against the idea.
Sura, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), voiced his opposition in an interview with journalists in Jos on Saturday.
His comments follow similar views expressed by several Plateau politicians, including Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, who argue that state police would likely be misused by governors to target their political opponents.
“Plateau Has Enough Security Outfits”
According to Sura, the state already has sufficient security structures to address its challenges.
He cited the Joint Task Force Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), the federal government-approved Operation Rainbow, and the Nigeria Police Force as examples of existing frameworks that can ensure safety and order.
“Plateau State has no business crying out for state police,” he said. “The Operation Rainbow security outfit already has federal approval and equipment. If it is well equipped and managed, it can handle the functions being proposed for a state police.”
The retired general argued that creating a state police would open the door for political manipulation. He warned that recruitment could easily become partisan, favouring loyalists of the ruling party rather than qualified, neutral professionals.
Fear of Political Intimidation
Sura pointed to examples from other regions such as the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in the South-East and Amotekun in the South-West, saying Plateau does not need a new force but better coordination among existing ones.
“If we are to establish state police, recruitment must not be controlled by governors,” he cautioned. “Otherwise, the personnel will become political tools, used to intimidate perceived enemies during elections or protests.”
He maintained that Plateau’s insecurity goes beyond what local policing alone can solve. Instead, he called for a neutral, professional mechanism that ensures recruitment and operations are free from political interference.
As debates over state policing deepen across Nigeria, the retired general’s stance adds to growing scepticism about whether decentralising law enforcement could strengthen or weaken the country’s fragile security system.
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Headline Options (≤80 characters each)
- Ex-General Sura Rejects State Police, Warns of Abuse in Plateau
- Sura: Plateau Doesn’t Need State Police, Existing Forces Enough
- Ex-PDP Chieftain John Sura Joins Critics of State Policing Plan
- State Police Could Become Political Weapon, Sura Warns Plateau
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