Odinkalu sounds alarm: You’re about to create thousands of armed, unpaid officers

IF YOU CAN’T PAY TEACHERS, WHAT MAKES ANYONE THINK THEY’LL PAY POLICE?

"Most states in Nigeria, as you and I know, are owing the current staff that they have. Some are owing arrears of salaries; others are owing arrears of salaries and pensions. But most emoluments are not fully subscribed, and many states are not paying the minimum wage. With this… pic.twitter.com/U3bFps5TGQ

— TheCable (@thecableng) July 12, 2026

“Most states in Nigeria, as you and I know, are owing the current staff that they have. Some are owing arrears of salaries; others are owing arrears of salaries and pensions. But most emoluments are not fully subscribed, and many states are not paying the minimum wage. With this state police thing we’re trying to do, there will be no fiscal deconcentration.

So it’s not as if you’re going to have fiscal deconcentration such that the share of the federation account that goes to the states will be increased. So, it can be guaranteed that these people are going to be owed salaries, but they’ll have uniforms and they’ll have guns. And they’ll make a lot more money with uniforms and guns than anything the state government can provide for them.” — Chidi Odinkalu