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Tag: STATE POLICE

  • State police and questions Nigeria can no longer avoid

    State police and questions Nigeria can no longer avoid

    • By Tosin Osasona

    Nigeria’s post-1999 democratic era has coincided with one of the gravest crises of state authority in the country’s history, with the state appearing weak and incapable of defending its authority. Fundamentalist Islamist groups, ethnic militants, gangs, secessionist movements, cult groups, organized criminal groups, and political thugs, among others, have relentlessly challenged the state to a duel of superiority, forcing the state into either spasms of retroactive violence or face-saving settlements. While this crisis of governance has interconnecting structural and operational drivers, political actors, particularly at the subnational level, have increasingly framed the decentralization of the Nigeria Police Force as one of the key solutions to this complex problem.

    Undoubtedly, the centrally controlled Nigeria Police Force and the uniform conceptualization of policing in Nigeria are problematic for the country’s diversity and complexity. In acknowledgement of this fact, every president since 1999 has initiated police reform of some sort. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration appears poised to advance the most far-reaching reform yet: the constitutional amendment required to permit state-controlled police services. While the political momentum behind this proposal is significant, the critical policy question remains unresolved: will the creation of state police meaningfully address Nigeria’s security crisis, or merely reproduce existing failures at a subnational scale?

    There is no empirical, contextual, or policy-based evidence that suggests constitutional authorization alone can deliver Nigeria’s much-needed security outcomes. Public policy effectiveness is largely determined by the political and institutional environment in which it operates. For a political system characterized by low levels of accountability, deep-seated ethnic and religious tensions, permanently simmering secessionist agitations, and politicization of policy processes, will the establishment of state police not create worse problems in the long term?

    What will stop these new policing outfits from being appropriated as personal enforcement gangs for state governors?

    While policing is less about institutional form and more about institutional character, Nigeria is oddly one of the few countries globally among multi-ethnic and multi-religious federal states that expressly prohibit subnational governments from exercising any policing authority. Therefore, the case for state police is compelling; however, the challenges lie less in principle than in the operational and institutional details. Given Nigeria’s political history, how then should the proposed police decentralization be structured to safeguard critical constitutional guarantees, enhance the capacity of subnational units to respond to local security concerns, and reduce the potential for abuse?

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    Across the world, all effective and efficient policing systems are built on three crosscutting pillars: legitimacy, accountability, and professional competence. Assessments based on multiple performance indicators suggest that the Nigeria Police Force performs poorly across all three dimensions. Creating state police will at best address the question of legitimacy, leaving unresolved the crisis of accountability and professional competence. The Nigeria Police Force is the ideological successor entity to the colonial Consular Guard of 1861, which was built on the mantra of using ‘strangers to police strangers’—an extractive policing system conceived to protect ruling power rather than local communities. State-created policing outfits will at least be resourced from local communities, would be enmeshed in local contexts, and would have cultural affinity with the communities they serve. This will to some extent address legitimacy concerns that bedevil the Police Force in Nigeria. Unless there is deliberate institutional design, state creation and control of policing authorities will not automatically translate to fairer and more respectful policing procedures, a more equitable distribution of policing outcomes, or strict adherence to law and human rights.

    Policing is an expensive enterprise, demanding sustained investment in personnel, training, infrastructure, intelligence systems, and operational logistics. Without these critical financial inputs, a decentralized system risks merely replicating the current inefficiencies at a subnational level. Currently, only nine out of the 36 states can meet their salary obligations without total dependence on federal funds, and only about 20 states are paying the current minimum wage. Where, therefore, will the funds to finance the proposed state policing outfits come from?

    The stark disparity in fiscal capacity of states creates a dangerous possibility, where poorly funded state police units could become bands of armed men, nominally in uniform but functionally abandoned to fend for themselves. This would incentivize extortion, predation on the very citizens they are meant to protect, and could see these units auctioning their coercive power to the highest bidder, deepening insecurity and corruption. Therefore, the transition to state police demands not just a constitutional amendment, but a fundamental revaluation of fiscal federalism to prevent the birth of 36 potentially uneven and, in some cases, dangerously unmoored police services.

    Beyond the hurdle of fiscal viability lies the more contentious question of operational and organizational independence. If state police services are to be more than just ‘State House Enforcers’ with broader jurisdictions, their leadership must be insulated from local politics. Lessons from abuses by the First Republic’s regional policing force teach that without clear institutional safeguards, state police risk becoming instruments of political patronage rather than instruments of public safety. Independence, among other things, will require legal frameworks that define the chain of accountability, establish professional standards, and create oversight mechanisms—possibly through independent policing commissions—ensuring that state police serve the people, not the political ambitions of individual governors. Knowing what we know, how many governors will commit to this in practice?

    Ultimately, Nigeria’s current policing system is in urgent need of reform. A realistic reform pathway lies in restructuring the existing centralized system to allow for hybrid control and a multi-tiered policing arrangement that accommodates both national and subnational policing platforms. Whatever choice is settled upon, any serious policy on police reform in Nigeria must be accompanied by a clear framework for sustainable funding, an oversight system, and accountability mechanisms to ensure that the creation of state police strengthens, rather than destabilizes, local security governance.

    State police may indeed be inevitable. Whether they become a solution or a new source of insecurity will depend less on constitutional amendments than on the political will to confront Nigeria’s deeper governance failures.

    •Osasona, a criminal justice professional is of Centre for Public Policy Alternatives, Lagos.

  • Senate backs state police, technology-driven reforms to boost Nigeria’s security

    Senate backs state police, technology-driven reforms to boost Nigeria’s security

    The Senate on Wednesday endorsed sweeping reforms to Nigeria’s security architecture, placing the establishment of state police, intelligence-led operations, and extensive use of modern technology at the centre of efforts to tackle the country’s escalating insecurity.

    The resolutions followed the unanimous adoption of the report of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the National Security Summit, presented at plenary by the Chairman of the panel and Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.

    The session was presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

    Lawmakers approved all observations and recommendations contained in the report without dissent, reflecting broad consensus on the urgent need to reset what the Senate described as a largely reactive and overstretched security architecture.

    Presenting the report, Bamidele said stakeholders drawn from the six geopolitical zones commended the National Assembly for convening the summit, describing it as a timely and bold intervention in the face of worsening insecurity across the country.

    He noted that the summit exposed fundamental weaknesses in Nigeria’s current security system, particularly its inability to anticipate and respond effectively to modern threats.

    The committee identified key drivers of insecurity to include illegal mining, porous borders, unemployment, poverty, drug abuse, illiteracy, radicalisation, weak intelligence gathering, and vast ungoverned spaces with little or no government presence.

    It also warned that ethnic, regional, and religious profiling, alongside perceived marginalisation in public appointments, had deepened mistrust and undermined national cohesion.

    Central to the recommendations is a proposed constitutional amendment to decentralise policing through the creation of state police.

    The committee argued in the report that the reform would align with the designation of governors and local government chairmen as chief security officers in their domains, enhance local intelligence gathering, strengthen early warning systems, and enable faster response to threats.

    The Senate also called for the strengthening of vigilante groups, the establishment of ward-level security liaison committees, and a comprehensive redesign of the national security architecture to prioritise prevention over reaction.

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    It urged improved inter-agency collaboration and intelligence sharing among the military, police, Department of State Services, immigration, customs, civil defence, intelligence agencies, traditional institutions, and community groups through joint operations centres.

    To address the root causes of violence, the Senate recommended the creation of a National Youth Stabilisation Fund targeting conflict-prone areas to tackle unemployment, poverty, drug addiction, and radicalisation, as well as stricter regulation of mining activities to curb illegal operations linked to armed groups.

    On technology, the report advocated massive investment in surveillance infrastructure, including drones, CCTV cameras, and sensors along borders and forests, improved communication systems, enhanced patrol mobility, and rapid response capabilities.

    It also proposed the establishment of mobile courts to ensure speedy justice and the fast-tracking of a National Security and Recovery Bill to rebuild communities devastated by conflict.

    The Senate further underscored the role of traditional and religious institutions as key security stakeholders, the need to curb extremist preaching, protect forests through a proposed Forest Guards Bill, and fully implement local government autonomy to strengthen grassroots governance.

    With the adoption of the report, the Senate reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing far-reaching legislative and constitutional reforms aimed at restoring peace, rebuilding public trust, and securing lives and property across the country.

  • The urgency of state police

    The urgency of state police

    Finally, the chicken has come home to roost. That which we were forewarned about has come upon us. As the late Ghanaian poet and literary icon, Koofi Awoonor, says in “Songs of Sorrow,” “Death has made war upon our house.” Kidnappers, terrorists, extremists, and all manner of criminal cartels, who dared not lift their heads to look in our faces in time past, have come out as men. Criminals, who rape our women, murder our citizens in cold blood, abduct our children (including nursery and primary school pupils), task us on ransoms as though they loaned money to us.

    We are paying the price of the obstinate refusal of successive administrations since the fall of the First Republic to allow Nigeria to run like a federation. The introduction of the highly misplaced Decree 34 of 1966 by the General Aguiyi Ironsi administration, which put Nigeria on the path of unitary form of government as opposed to the federalism adopted after various painstaking conferences in Nigeria and London by our founding fathers set the state for our sorry state. The Ironsi regime set up a body to look at the desirability of unifying the Nigeria Police and local government police. The irony is that the General Yakubu Gowon regime, populated by those who overthrew Ironsi and made him pay the supreme price for his unitary tendencies supposedly aimed to pocket the rest of the country, and quickly nullified the contentious Decree 34 of 1966, still went ahead to foist a unitary police system on the country. This is as opposed to a decentralised police system with various layers of police services that subsisted until the coming of the military.

    That was not all. From 1966 till the last military regime quit in May 1999, a lot of harm was done to the federal structure that birthed Nigeria’s golden era. The result is the Nigeria we have today – a nation beset by security and economic woes. While the introduction of unitary police gradually made the nation vulnerable to insecurity, the destruction of fiscal federalism and subsequent introduction of what former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, christened “feeding bottle federalism,” destroyed the creativity, self-reliance, and competitive growth that gave rise to the economic successes recorded before the 1966 coups.

    However, as far as I am concerned, the military is no longer to blame, as 26 unbroken years of democracy are more than enough to right the wrongs we felt the military had done to Nigeria.

    Perhaps, the greatest enemy of state police, in my opinion, is the selfish belief by successive presidents that it is in their best interest to have a total control of all legitimate instruments of coercion in their firm grips – an assumption that have severally boomeranged in their faces. They only see the need for state police after leaving. This is where President Bola Tinubu is different.

    It is therefore heart-warming seeing the consensus that now flows in favour of state police – even from the unlikeliest quarters. Only a few days ago, the top echelon of the northern political leadership and intelligentsia – governors, top traditional rulers led by the revered Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar III, top security chiefs, among others – all gathered at the Kashim Iman House to unanimously endorse state police. As former chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business and one of the critics of Ekweremadu’s State Police Bill, Senator Ita Enang, once confessed on Channels TV’s “Politics Today,” “state police is an idea, which time has come.” It is an emergency and he was no longer interested in what the governors could do with it, so long as they protect the people.

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    Quite significantly – and also ironically – support for this paradigm shift has equally come from former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar. Of course, the recent meeting of the Southern Governors Forum and the Southern Nigerian Traditional Rulers Council in Ogun also came up with the same verdict.

    However, beside the harsh realities in the form of a worrisome wave of insecurity, the credit to the momentum and consensus state police now enjoys should go to President Tinubu for body language, statements, and federalist dispositions, including the devolving of more powers to the states. The president also gave a new kick to the push for state police during his recent declaration of emergency on insecurity. The president declared that “Our administration will support state governments, which have set up security outfits to safeguard their people from the terrorists bent on disrupting our national peace.” He also asked the National Assembly to “begin reviewing our laws to allow states that require state police to establish them.”

    Indeed, in the face of rising insecurity in recent times, the president has shown uncommon courage and the political will to navigate Nigeria away from doom. From changing the service chiefs across the military services to the appointment of former Chief of the General Staff, General Christopher Musa as new Minister of Defence, to the directive for the mass recruitment across the military services and the police as well as the recent approval by the National Economic Council, the sum of N100 billion proposed by the Governor Peter Mbah-led Committee for the Revamp of Police and other Security Training Institutions, President Tinubu has displayed a strong will to fix the nation’s security lapses.

    However, of particular commendation is his recognition of the fact that security is local. Thus, he went ahead to not only show the political will to see state policing through, but to also support local security initiatives by governors. Talking about local initiatives, what Governor Mbah is doing with security in Enugu State clearly demonstrates how far a purposeful state government can go to secure a state. In less than three years as governor, he has changed the Enugu security story. He has invested heavily in the construction of a state-of-the-art Command and Control Centre matched with AI-enabled cameras mounted across Enugu State for full surveillance. He set up the Distress Response Squad, a special police unit powered by over 150 security vehicles fixed with AI-embedded cameras for effective patrol of the state to mitigate crimes and also ensure a quick response to crime situations. Just recently, he launched hitech equipment like high-impact drones and patrol vehicles to strengthen the war against insecurity in his state. We have also seen how he dusted up Enugu’s dormant law to demolish several properties used for kidnapping in the state to send a warning to the criminals that crime does not pay.

    Now that the president has accorded the National Assembly the desired political support to amend our constitution to birth state police, the onus is now on the apex legislative body to get cracking. The point here is that the 10th National Assembly does not need to wait for the rest of the proposed amendments to be ready before proceeding with the amendment to create state police.

    Again, given the extensive work that went into Ekweremadu’s Bill for the Creation of State Police, the National Assembly has a brilliant document to dust up and work with. The special thing about the Ekweremadu bill is that it consciously and meticulously addresses the critical issues of structure, standardisation, control, armament, disciplining, co-existence with federal police, and, importantly, the fears of abuse by state governors. The bill benefits from best practices around the world, especially federal climes like the US, Canada, and Brazil.

    Now, with national momentum and presidential willpower in favour of state police, plus a ready document to work with, the ball is now in the court of the National Assembly. Let the amendment begin.

    •Anichukwu writes from Enugu.

  • ADP warn against state police, says it will weaken national security

    ADP warn against state police, says it will weaken national security

    The Action Democratic Party (ADP) has cautioned northern governors against supporting the creation of state police, insisting the move will undermine national security and put Nigerians at greater risk.

    In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja and signed by its national publicity secretary, Dr. Sani Dawop, the party dismissed the push for state policing as a false narrative being promoted as a solution to the country’s worsening insecurity.

    “This position is misguided, dangerous, and a direct threat to national stability in the absence of an agreed constitutional framework to regulate these state policing outfits,” the statement read. “Let’s not put the cart before the horse. Weakening the federal security architecture and empowering sub-national political actors with armed police formations will not enhance public safety.”

    The ADP further described the advocacy for state police as “a carefully packaged scam,” alleging that its promoters know fully well that the real beneficiaries would not be ordinary citizens but political elites who, according to the party, have repeatedly failed when entrusted with authority.

    It said, “For years, state governments – especially across the North – have mismanaged their constitutional responsibilities while insecurity exploded under their watch. More worrying is their consistent abuse of political power as showcased in the conduct of so-called local government elections. 

    “This show of shame is not restricted to the north but the entire political machinery where governors willy-nilly declare their parties the winners of all positions, thereby reducing grassroots democracy to an embarrassing ritual.

    “To now place weapons, command structures, and coercive authority in the hands of these same political actors is to invite state-sponsored terrorism, intimidation, expanded corruption, and heightened inter-ethnic cum intra-state tensions. This proposal does not 

    decentralise security, it only politicizes force and risks turning Nigerian states into fragmented enclaves controlled by partisan security militias. 

    “Nigerians are aware that most, if not all States presently have one security outfit or the other established by State Laws without meaningful results to show for it. 

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    “The ADP warns that once State Police becomes law without the necessary consultations and constitutional framework, the consequences will be swift and severe. Political opponents will be targeted, communities will face biased policing, ethnic and religious divisions will deepen, banditry and terrorism may mutate into state-enabled violence and the Federal Republic of Nigeria will face unprecedented institutional threats.

    It said what Nigeria needs is real security overhaul, not political opportunism disguised as decentralization and called for an all-encompassing national security conference to discuss the modalities, ways and means of State Policing amongst other national security concerns. 

    He said, “We must strengthen all government law-enforcement agencies, invest in intelligence, enhance inter-agency collaboration, and enforce accountability at all levels of government. 

    “Private guard duties can be reformed to perform most of the functions carried out by state security agencies to build greater confidence in the citizens. No Governor who has turned local administration into personal fiefdom can be trusted with a police force without necessary reforms.

    “The ADP enjoins all patriotic Nigerians, civil society organizations, labour unions, and traditional institutions to reject this dangerous proposal and demand genuine solutions that prioritise safety over politics, unity over fragmentation, and national interest over personal ambition. Nigeria must not sleepwalk into constitutional chaos. We must all rise up to resist this scam, less we fall into a big ditch that will consume all of us.”

  • Safeguarding the spirit of state policing

    Safeguarding the spirit of state policing

    • By Aliyu Abubakar Bello

    Sir: As Nigeria edges closer to the creation of state police, the nation stands at a historic crossroads. On one side lies the promise of faster response to insecurity, community-rooted policing, and a long-awaited break from the overburdened federal structure. On the other side, however, lurks a familiar fear — that these armed state officers might someday become tools in the hands of overly ambitious governors, unsheathing the sword of coercion against political opponents rather than criminals. The challenge before us is therefore delicate but achievable: How do we birth state police without planting the seeds of state tyranny?

    First, the foundation must be a clear, uncompromising legal framework. The legislation establishing state police should define their jurisdiction with the precision of a surgeon’s scalpel. Their powers must revolve strictly around crime prevention, protection of life and property, community safety, and emergency response. Matters involving political tension — elections, protests, party disputes, campaign clashes, civil rights demonstrations, media intimidation — must remain the exclusive domain of the federal police. In simple terms, state police should chase kidnappers, not critics; they should confront armed robbers, not political rivals.

    To reinforce this boundary, the law should spell out explicit penalties for any governor or state official who attempts to weaponise the state police for political warfare. This is not mistrust — it is wisdom shaped by our national history. Nigeria has seen how power, when unchecked, grows bold wings. A constitutional firewall that protects citizens against political persecution will be a victory not just for democracy, but for the dignity of governance.

    Beyond legislation, the appointment and tenure of state police leadership must be insulated from political whims. The state police commissioner should not be a puppet whose loyalty lies in the pockets of a governor. Instead, appointment should follow a tripod system: nomination by the governor, approval by the state House of Assembly, and certification by an independent national oversight body. Tenure should be fixed and secure; removal should require transparent, publicised procedures, not a late-night directive delivered through backdoor emissaries.

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    Furthermore, the state police must be bound by a national code of conduct supervised by a federal-state policing council, a body comprising representatives from civil society, the judiciary, the Nigerian Bar Association, and respected traditional institutions. This council will review complaints, audit operations, investigate abuses, and publish periodic reports accessible to every Nigerian. When sunlight shines on power, power behaves better.

    Training also matters. State police officers should undergo rigorous professional grooming in human rights, conflict de-escalation, crowd control, community engagement, and ethical handling of firearms. A policeman who understands the law is less likely to break it. A policeman trained to see citizens as human beings, not political pieces, becomes a guardian, not an enforcer.

    Finally, nothing protects democracy more than an informed citizenry. Civil society, the media, and the public must monitor this new institution from inception. Nigerians must remain alert, vocal, and courageous enough to challenge even the faintest sign of political misuse. When citizens watch carefully, leaders tread carefully.

    State police can succeed. They can be a blessing rather than a blade; but only if we design them with foresight, discipline, and strong national values. If we get the architecture right, Nigeria can build a security framework that not only confronts criminals but also honours the principles of justice, freedom, and shared humanity.

    In the end, the goal is simple: a Nigeria where police uniforms inspire confidence, not fear; where governors wield authority, not intimidation; and where security becomes a shared heritage, not a political weapon. State police can usher in that future — but only if we anchor them firmly on the side of law, equity, and democracy.

    •Aliyu Abubakar Bello,

    Dorayi, Kano.

  • Lagos APC backs call for State Police

    Lagos APC backs call for State Police

    Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has supported a call by Southwest governors urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to accelerate the establishment of State Police.

    Spokesman Seye Oladejo in a statement in Ogba, Lagos said: ‘’For years, our region has been at the forefront of advocating for a modern, community-rooted security architecture capable of responding swiftly and intelligently to evolving threats. Southwest governors have once again demonstrated leadership, unity of purpose and a clear understanding of the security realities confronting our nation. Their position aligns with the long-standing progressive philosophy of our party: security must be local to be effective.

    ‘’President Tinubu has shown the political will to reform, strengthen and modernise Nigeria’s internal security framework. The call by the governors only reinforces the President’s already established commitment to a responsive, people-centred and technologically-enhanced security ecosystem.’’

    Oladejo said the security challenges facing the country required multi-layered policing solutions, adding that State Police – properly designed, professionally regulated and federally coordinated- would bring security closer to communities, improve intelligence gathering and deter crime in real time.

    He noted: ‘’From the Amotekun initiative, to consistent investment in local security infrastructure, Southwest has proved that decentralised security works. The call for state police is simply the next logical step.

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    ‘’The President has repeatedly emphasised his resolve to secure every inch of Nigeria. The ongoing reforms in the military, police and intelligence community demonstrate that this administration is not shying away from bold decisions. State Police will be another milestone in this journey.’’

    Lagos APC spokesman said those who attempted to politicise or misrepresent ‘’this conversation for cheap popularity betray the seriousness of the moment. Nigerians deserve honest dialogue and practical solutions, not fear mongering or mischief.’’

    He added: ‘’We reaffirm our support for the Renewed Hope security reforms and united stance of Southwest governors. The security of our people is non-negotiable.

    ‘’The time for State Police is not just ripe- it is overdue. Lagos APC is fully aligned with this patriotic call and urges stakeholders nationwide to join hands with President Tinubu to deliver a safer, stronger and more secure Nigeria for all.’’

  • Rising insecurity: State police non-negotiable, says Abiodun

    Rising insecurity: State police non-negotiable, says Abiodun

    Governor Dapo Abiodun on Wednesday hosted a regional meeting of governors of southern states of Nigeria on the backdrop of rising insecurity in the country, declaring that the creation of state police is non-negotiable if the disturbing situation can be effectively addressed.

    The meeting, which is the second to be held in Ogun State within the lifespan of Governor Abiodun’s administration, with the first being the time he was appointed Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum, had in attendance Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Governor Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), Alex Otti (Abia), Biodun Oyebamiji (Ekiti), Gov Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi, Peter Mbah (Enugu), Charles Soludo (Anambra), and Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo).

    Others included deputy governors: Kola Adewusi (Osun), Bayo Lawal (Oyo), Peter Odey (Cross River), and Dennis Idahosa (Edo).

    Welcoming the Governors, Abiodun said the recent incidents across the country reinforced the urgency of decentralising the Nigerian policing system to enable states to take responsibility for safeguarding their citizens and residents.

    According to him, a unified Southern position on State Police will not only enhance intelligence gathering and early-warning capabilities but also strengthen the region’s ability to secure schools, farmlands, border communities, and critical infrastructure across states.

    He recalled that the South has consistently advocated for a security system that is closer to the people and more responsive to local realities, and better equipped to address the rapidly evolving threats Southern Nigeria currently faces.

    He warned that the speed at which insecurity spreads also shows that geography is no longer a guarantee of safety, stressing that, given the dense populations, major industrial corridors, seaports, airports, and strategic highways, the Southern region faces unique exposure to security risks from non-state actors.

    He noted that the time had come for a shift from a mindset of assumed safety to one defined by structured, preventive, and deliberate security planning.

    To respond effectively to these threats, Governor Abiodun urged Southern Nigeria to adopt a proactive and integrated security framework anchored on intelligence-sharing, border protection, safe-school systems, corridor surveillance, and strong community participation.

    He expressed the confidence that the gathering would provide a critical opportunity to strengthen the region’s collective resolve, deepen cooperation, and act decisively to protect its people and maintain national cohesion.

    He charged the forum to reiterate and reaffirm its support for the establishment of state police, as each participating state has submitted individual positions on the subject.

    He also recommended a real-time digital security and intelligence-sharing platform linking all Southern states to ensure seamless communication and rapid threat alerts, as well as a comprehensive Safe School Programme to be established to protect educational institutions, particularly in vulnerable locations.

    He said the forum would meet with traditional rulers from the South who have also started arriving at the Iperu residence of Governor Dapo Abiodun, the venue of the meeting at the time of filing the report, and the forum also went into a closed-door meeting.

    He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing the right leadership and taking bold steps to steady the nation.

    Abiodun said, “A unified Southern position on State Police will not only enhance intelligence gathering and early-warning capabilities but also strengthen our ability to secure schools, farmlands, border communities, and critical infrastructure across our states.

    “As we deliberate on the security architecture of Southern Nigeria, it is important to state clearly that the creation of State Police remains a non-negotiable component of our collective demand for true federalism and effective grassroots security.

    “Our region has consistently advocated for a policing system that is closer to the people, more responsive to local realities, and better equipped to address the rapidly evolving threats we face. The recent incidents across the country reinforce the urgency of decentralising policing so that states can take direct responsibility for safeguarding their citizens.

    “A unified Southern position on State Police will not only enhance intelligence gathering and early-warning capabilities but also strengthen our ability to secure schools, farmlands, border communities, and critical infrastructure across our states.

    “In the same spirit of shared purpose, we will be meeting with our revered Traditional Rulers—custodians of culture, mediators of community affairs, and the closest authority to the grassroots. Their involvement is essential as we envision a Southern region with borders but no boundaries; a region where peace, prosperity, mobility, and the resolution of national issues are shared responsibilities rooted in unity rather than division.

    “By working hand in hand with traditional institutions, security agencies, and the communities they guide, we can reinforce a collective identity that transcends geography and politics. Together, we will build a Southern Nigeria where cooperation replaces rivalry, where joint development initiatives flourish, and where every citizen experiences the true dividends of stability and good governance.

    “The speed at which insecurity spreads also shows that geography is no longer a guarantee of safety. With dense populations, major industrial corridors, seaports, airports, and strategic highways, the Southern region faces unique exposure to security risks. We must therefore shift from a mindset of assumed safety to one defined by structured, preventive, and deliberate security planning.

    “This gathering provides a critical opportunity to strengthen our collective resolve, deepen cooperation, and act decisively to protect our people and maintain national cohesion. The forum must reiterate and reaffirm its support for the establishment of state police as we have all submitted our individual positions on this subject.

    “To respond effectively to these threats, Southern Nigeria must adopt a proactive and integrated security framework anchored on intelligence-sharing, border protection, safe-school systems, corridor surveillance, and strong community participation.

    “A real-time digital security and intelligence-sharing platform linking all Southern states will ensure seamless communication and rapid threat alerts. A comprehensive Safe School Programme must be established to protect educational institutions, particularly in vulnerable locations.

    “Joint audits of major transport corridors—road, rail, and maritime—will help identify weak points and inform the deployment of sentinel units and rapid response teams. Community–Private Security Partnerships should be strengthened to bring together local vigilance groups, youth teams, private security firms, and formal security agencies within one coordinated ecosystem.

    “A dedicated Regional Rapid Response Fund will also be essential for emergency deployments, rescue operations, forensic support, and inter-state training. At the state level, measures such as mandatory documentation of foreign nationals, dismantling unlawful enclaves, regulating scavenger activities, intensified forest operations, and a crackdown on illegal mining must be pursued with renewed vigour.

    “Community policing remains a critical pillar in strengthening the security architecture of Southern Nigeria, as it brings security operations closer to the grassroots where threats are first observed.

    “By empowering local communities, traditional rulers, and neighbourhood structures to work collaboratively with formal security agencies, community policing provides early-warning signals, enhances intelligence gathering, and improves trust between citizens and law enforcement. The formation of these frameworks enables quicker identification of suspicious movements, better protection of schools, farms, and border towns, and more responsive interventions along critical road corridors.”

    “When fully integrated with regional intelligence-sharing systems and corridor surveillance mechanisms, community policing becomes a force multiplier—promoting safer communities, reducing crime, and ensuring that security solutions are people-driven, preventive, and deeply rooted in local realities.

    “Beyond immediate security concerns, our region must pursue a coordinated development strategy that addresses the socio-economic foundations of stability. A region-wide connectivity plan—linking capitals, industrial belts, ports, airports, agricultural zones, and mineral-rich areas—will modernise logistics, improve mobility, and expand commerce across the Southern region.

    “A joint Centre for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship will serve as a hub to empower young people across rural and urban communities, equipping them with skills in digital technology, agritech, creative industries, and advanced manufacturing.

  • Ondo APC backs state police, seeks legislation in Akeredolu’s honour

    Ondo APC backs state police, seeks legislation in Akeredolu’s honour

    The governing All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has called on the National Assembly to urgently initiate constitutional amendments that would pave the way for the creation of state police. 

    In a statement on Saturday in Akure, the party’s spokesman, Steve Otaloro, described the agitation as a necessary response to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, particularly the growing wave of kidnappings and banditry in the country. 

    Otaloro explained that the ongoing national conversations have shown that the country has reached a “consensus point” on the need for decentralised policing.

    He said the rising cases of rural banditry, violent herdsmen attacks, kidnapping, urban crime, and infiltration of extremist groups across the borders have exposed the limitations of a single, centralised police structure.

    The APC spokesman acknowledged President Bola Tinubu’s efforts in enhancing national security through increased deployments, acquisition of modern equipment, improved intelligence gathering and strengthened collaboration with state governments.

    He revealed that Nigeria has entered “a new and dangerous phase” of insecurity that requires innovative solutions.

    “However, it is increasingly clear that the Nigeria Police Force, despite its dedication and sacrifices, cannot fully secure every community across the federation without structured support from state-level policing systems,” Otaloro said. 

    He asked the federal lawmakers to fast-track deliberations and pass a comprehensive law that would empower states to establish and manage their own police structures against the backdrop of mounting security challenges and 

    Otaloro recalled that the former Governor, late Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, was one of the earliest and strongest advocates of state police, stating that his consistent push for decentralised policing, laid the intellectual and constitutional foundation for today’s national conversations.

    He proposed that the legislation be named the “Akeredolu State Police Bill” in honour of the late governor, whose unwavering commitment to decentralised policing transformed national security discourse.

    According to him, the proposed bill would reduce the pressure on the Nigeria Police Force, strengthen local intelligence networks, curb banditry, herdsmen attacks, kidnapping, and communal clashes, enable the federal government to focus more on counterterrorism and border security. 

    He urged lawmakers to set aside political, ethnic and partisan considerations and prioritise the national interest.

    “Nigeria’s security future depends on bold reforms that combine federal capacity with state-level responsiveness. The success of Amotekun – pioneered by Akeredolu and sustained by Aiyedatiwa has already shown that state-backed community policing works and is indispensable.”

    Otaloro noted that Akeredolu demonstrated foresight by recognising the emerging threats of banditry, cross-border terrorism, and widespread attacks on farmlands at a time many downplayed the dangers.

    He maintained that his establishment of the Amotekun Corps despite resistance from the federal government and legal hurdles from the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) was a visionary move that eventually birthed a model for grassroots security across the Southwest.

    The statement also commended Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who, as deputy governor, played a key role in the strategy sessions, legal consultations, and operational planning that led to the creation of Amotekun. 

    It added that since Aiyedatiwa assumed office, he has further strengthened the local security outfits through enhanced training, improved logistics, expanded intelligence capacity, better welfare for operatives, and deeper collaboration with federal agencies.

    “These interventions have earned Amotekun national praise for discipline, professionalism, and measurable results,” the party. 

    The party, however, maintained that passing the proposed State Police Bill, and naming it after a leader “who saw tomorrow,” would strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and safeguard the nation for generations to come.

  • South-West security summit: stakeholders back state police

    South-West security summit: stakeholders back state police

    The Senate on Friday convened its South-West Zonal Security Summit in Lagos with security experts, traditional rulers, government officials and civil society groups renewing calls for the adoption of indigenous security strategies, technology-driven policing and the creation of state police to address rising insecurity in the region and across the country.

    The forum, chaired by Senator Tokunbo Abiru (Lagos East), according to a statement by his media office, is part of the interactive hearings of the 10th Senate’s Ad-hoc Committee on the National Security Summit.

    Abiru, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions and leads the Southern Senators’ Forum, said the region must act urgently to prevent worsening criminal activities.

    He warned that although the South-West had not witnessed the level of terrorism seen elsewhere, banditry, kidnapping and violent crimes were increasing.

    “Our villages and farmlands are under threat; highways have recorded more daring attacks, and the reported Lakurawa incursion into parts of Kwara and Kogi signals the danger ahead,” he said.

    The senator urged Nigerians to consider security a collective responsibility. “We must not allow the South-West to become a sanctuary for criminality. Every human, material and technological resource must be deployed to defend our communities,” he added.

    Abiru also charged the media to help strengthen national unity, saying reportage must avoid ethnic or religious framing and instead build public confidence.

    Representing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, Dr Ayodele Ogunsan, said Lagos is committed to a fortified security architecture.

    He called for a unified regional framework to strengthen intelligence sharing and joint operations.

    “As governors of this region, we must reaffirm our commitment to a regional security structure that transforms Amotekun into a well-equipped, technology-driven command,” he said.

    According to him, insecurity does not only threaten peace but also undermines economic growth, investment and job creation.

    Senator Jimoh Ibrahim  (APC – Ondo South), sponsor of the bill establishing the National Security Summit, said terrorism requires non-conventional responses involving both military and civilian structures.

    Senator Gbenga Daniel (APC – Ogun East) also stressed collaborative efforts at all levels.

    Lagos Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, described insecurity as essentially local, requiring local responses and community involvement.

    Traditional rulers, represented by the Alara of Ilara, Oba Olufolarin Ogunsanwo, advocated community policing, increased recruitment into security agencies, better equipment and expanded opportunities to reduce youth restiveness.

    He noted the Tinubu administration’s collaboration with international partners but said weak grassroots structures continue to hinder progress.

    The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, restated the long-standing call for state policing, insisting it remains a decisive solution to Nigeria’s security challenges.

    Civil society groups, youth and women representatives, and Christian and Islamic leaders also demanded better welfare for security personnel to boost morale and professionalism.

  • Another perspective on State Police

    Another perspective on State Police

    “The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government” … Chapter 2, Section 14(2)(b), of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution”

    Two weeks ago, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reiterated his commitment to the creation of State Police in Nigeria, due to our national security and geopolitical reality. Recall that Mr. President, had triggered the process of the creation of State Police on the 15th of February last year when he convened a meeting with the 36 state governors, also attended by the Vice President Kashim Shettima, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the DSS, and some Ministers at the State house in Abuja.

    In my view, the creation of state police will provide a critical pillar of our national security architecture that has been lacking in Nigeria for a long time. In addition, the creation of state police is in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to achieve true federalism and decentralization of power in Nigeria.

    As rightly stated by President Tinubu, the preponderance and efforts of the various civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) in various forms across the geopolitical zones and States, including state security outfits like Hisbah in Kano State, Amotekun across the South West States of Nigeria, and state security outfits in other States across Nigeria trying to curb insecurity, further reinforces the need for the creation of state police.

    I have been a proponent of the creation of State Police in Nigeria, and in the past 1 year, I have written twice on this topic in this Column (Part 1 on the 23rd February, 2024, and Part 2 on the 2nd May, 2025). However, in today’s episode, I will reiterate my positions and expand my contribution to this important national discourse. In addition, as the Group CEO of the Global Investment and Trade Company (GITC), where the services we provide include; policy strategy and advisory, legislative frameworks and legislation support, policy implementation etc. we will support the creation of state police by following through the legislative processes (from Executive to national Assembly) to ensure that we have a robust registration to ensure that state police is not just enacted or activated, but to support the legislative process and framework that will protect the citizens of these countries and their allies from potential abuse of state police by those governors who that would like to take advantage of state police for their vested interests. Because, as Mr. President stated last week, and I quote, “We can work with the National Assembly to design a framework that guarantees local ownership while ensuring political neutrality”.

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    The Need to Continue Building Capacity at the Federal Level

    The Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Military, which are fully in the war against the insecurity theater, are facing not just funding issues, but other material challenges. Today, we have about 300,000 men and officers of the Nigerian Police Force, with a ratio of about 1 to about 500 Policemen. Recall that last year, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, raised this concern, requiring about 190,000 more boots on the ground to be recruited. In my opinion, they need more because we have about 250 million Nigerians that they are supposed to serve and protect. The Nigerian Military is facing the same man and material challenges. The entire Nigerian Armed Forces, i.e., Army, Air Force, Navy, Police, Immigration, Customs, Civil Defense, and the newly recruited Forest Guards, etc., are less than 800,000 active officers and men (boots on the ground). This is a really serious issue. 

    Therefore, there is an urgent need to continue improving the human capacity of the Nigerian armed forces at the federal level. Because, from a strategic perspective, while we refocus on state police, we must not lose sight of the criticality of the federal security architecture, which must be continuously and properly funded, equipped, and supported. Otherwise, we will be creating a bigger problem when we “lose guard” of our key security and territorial integrity flanks. It is only when the federal armed forces are solid, mobilized, mobile, lucid, efficient, and effective that state police will be relevant and successful. Even though the state police are crucial, they will have limitations.

     Operations Model

    The lines of authority and accountability must be clearly defined between the state police and the federal police. Because even now, we sometimes witness face-offs between military and police or between security agencies. Therefore, the operations model should address the interplaying roles between state police and federal police. What will be the state of play when or where there are escalations? And what will be the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)? What are the engagement protocols between federal and state police? And what are the clear lines or boundaries of authority and accountability? We need to address that at the foundation level of formulating the state police legislation.

    Indeed, some powers will be taken from the federal security agencies, and they will be domiciled or shared with the state police. This will create new power blocks at the state level. Therefore, naturally, there will be a need for an adaptation process. Those are the things that will ensure that the federal police will all play their role in a way and manner that there are no frictions or there are no clashes. How we frame our laws will be key.

     Funding

    Funding and the framework that will support the funding are crucial. We currently have a situation where not all the states in Nigeria are struggling to pay the minimum wage of 70,000 Naira.

     Therefore, how will the Governors effectively fund State Police?  That is a crucial question that the governors need to answer and tell the citizens, from accountability and transparency perspectives. It’s not enough for a Governor to say he can crush insecurity within two months. How will he fund the state police in a sustainable manner? Because as citizens, we are not expecting governors to go to the federal government cap in hand to ask for money to fund state police, and if that will be the case, then I will withdraw my support for State Police.

     Concerns about the potential abuse of State Police by Governors

    I re-echo the concerns of many Nigerians and stakeholders that some state Governors will most likely use the state police as negative forces of coercion and abuse of office. The use of state police by overbearing and wicked Governors will certainly be a disaster, and, as citizens, we MUST not allow that to happen.

     But given our current insecurity situation and how we are evolving as a country, we cannot throw away the baby with the bathwater. Therefore, we should have state police. But we must have provisions within the constitution that will safeguard against the abuse of power, which will be catastrophic! 

     We should also ensure that thugs and touts are not converted by Governors to become State Police officers.

     Robust Legislation

    I use this opportunity to call on all well-meaning Nigerians, all subject matter experts, thought leaders, and stakeholders we should be part of the state police legislation, and give it the same attention that we gave the Tax Reforms Bill that was recently passed into law, to ensure that the enabling laws will be robust with the necessary safeguards to protect citizens, residents, and visitors of Nigeria.

     State Police will become a critical component of our democracy, and because we are creating something that is new, which could be subject to abuse, it is important that we pay attention. So that we do not hand over absolute power to state governors. Because absolute power corrupts absolutely!

    Concerns about Potential Abuse and Human Rights Violations

    We have cases of human rights violations and abuse of power by some security officials at the federal level. I cringe in my seat when I think of what will happen when the powers of state police are taken over by overbearing and narcissistic governors, whereby the state police are only accountable to the governors without any framework to neutralize such excesses if and when they happen.

     For instance, in February 2023, Justice Riman Fatun, of the Federal High Court Abakaliki, passed a judgment disbanding the Ebebeagu State security outfit in Ebonyi State, due to illegal arrests, extortions, possession of illegal firearms, human rights violations, etc. This instance underscores that the process of setting up state police should ensure that it will not be abused.

    Doctrine is a Critical Success Factor

    Doctrine guides thinking and the culture. And since we are creating a new entity called State Police, a new doctrine should drive the culture. Accordingly, if the existing federal armed forces have weaknesses that we are trying to address, imagine what some governors with this humongous new power of controlling state police will do, especially when the officers and men of the state police are not properly indoctrinated.

     If we don’t deal with the issues of doctrine (top to bottom and not bottom up!), we may create monsters that we cannot control as State Police, and the terrible consequences will be of broad ramifications.

    •First published September 19, 2025