Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak advises Nigeria to establish federal rapid response police force

This force would be available to support state police commands during emergencies. Speaking in an interview with Arise Television, Barak emphasized that the newly adopted state police structure in Nigeria requires proper coordination, transparency, and information-sharing between states and the Federal Government in Abuja. He cautioned against a system where states operate in isolation from the center, stressing the need for Abuja to have access to information and transparency regarding state police operations.

Barak suggested that this central force could be deployed to any region when a security threat exceeds a state's capacity, creating a dependency on the federal government in real emergencies. He also highlighted that deploying the military for policing duties often leads to complications due to soldiers' different training and culture compared to law enforcement. However, he noted that the military remains necessary as a last resort when armed groups act as "mini sovereigns" and take over territory.

Barak commended Nigeria's commitment to democratic governance while confronting security challenges like terrorism, organized crime, kidnapping, and separatist agitations. He advised Nigeria to take a long-term view of security reforms, acknowledging that Israel's intelligence capabilities developed over decades and that even Isra