A House of Representatives member, Yusuf Gadgi, has opposed calls for state police, warning that governors cannot be trusted with the control of policing in the states.

Gadgi, who chairs the House Committee on Defence, spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday.

The lawmaker maintained that community policing was more effective and added that giving governors control would worsen insecurity.

He, however, noted that properly funded community policing remained a safer alternative to state police.

The lawmaker described killings linked to cross-border assaults as “very unfortunate and tormenting.”

Gadgi added that forest reserves had become “safe havens for bandits and kidnappers,” worsening insecurity across Plateau and other regions.

He also defended President Bola Tinubu’s administration, noting that it had provided resources and assented to laws to support security agencies.

Gadgi praised the National Security Adviser’s performance but pointed out that insecurity would persist unless security commanders were held accountable.