State Police Debate Gains Momentum as Governors, Lawmakers, Security Experts Push for Constitutional Reform

Nigeria's ongoing debate over the creation of state police gathered fresh momentum as governors, lawmakers, former security chiefs, and policy experts presented arguments for and against the proposed reform during a high-level town hall discussion on national security.

Participants agreed that Nigeria's growing security challenges require urgent reforms but differed on whether state police would provide the lasting solution or merely create new political and administrative challenges.

Several state governors argued that while they are constitutionally regarded as chief security officers of their states, they lack the operational authority needed to effectively protect lives and property.

They maintained that governors currently provide logistics, vehicles, communications equipment, and funding to federal security agencies without having direct control over deployment, recruitment, discipline, or operational decisions.

According to them, decentralising policing would significantly improve response times, intelligence gathering, and accountability at the state level.

The governors cited experiences from states that have established local security outfits, saying community-based personnel possess better knowledge of local terrain, culture, and criminal networks than officers posted from distant parts of the country.

Lawmakers backing the constitutional amendment argued that Nigeria's centralized policing structure has become inadequate for a country with over 220 million people spread across more than 923,000 square kilometres.

They explained that public consultations conducted during the constitutional review process revealed widespread support for decentralising policing responsibilities.

According to supporters, one of the strongest arguments for state police is proximity, noting that security decisions often suffer delays because command authority is centralized in Abuja.

They stressed that quicker authorization and locally controlled command structures could improve emergency response and crime prevention.

Legislators also dismissed concerns that governors would automatically abuse state police powers, saying constitutional safeguards and legal checks would be incorporated into the proposed legislation.

Former Edo State Governor and Senator Adams Oshiomhole argued that it is contradictory for governors to be described as chief security officers without possessing operational control over policing within their states.

He said governors already spend billions supporting federal police operations by providing patrol vehicles, communication gadgets, fuel, and other logistics, yet lack authority over personnel management or operational decisions.

According to him, elected officials should be held accountable for how they use security institutions, just as they are accountable for other government responsibilities.

Oshiomhole maintained that concerns about possible abuse should not prevent necessary reforms, insisting that democratic institutions and public scrutiny remain important safeguards against misuse of power.

Not all participants were convinced that state police would automatically solve Nigeria's insecurity.

Some security analysts argued that while decentralisation is desirable, Nigeria must first strengthen the existing federal police before establishing 36 separate state police organisations.

They warned that the country still faces serious challenges, including terrorism, banditry, illegal mining, kidnapping, attacks on police stations, and widespread proliferation of small arms.

The experts questioned whether financially struggling states possess the capacity to recruit, train, equip, and sustain modern police forces capable of addressing increasingly sophisticated criminal threats.

They also raised concerns about jurisdictional conflicts between federal police, state police, civil defence, the military, and other security agencies if responsibilities are not clearly defined.

One of the major concerns repeatedly raised during the discussion centred on the possibility that state police could become political tools in the hands of governors.

Critics pointed to historical experiences with Native Authority Police and allegations surrounding some State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs), arguing that local institutions have sometimes been influenced by political interests.

Some participants warned that without strong legal safeguards, state police could be used to intimidate political opponents or influence elections.

However, supporters countered that every governance system carries risks of abuse and argued that constitutional oversight, judicial review, and public accountability can minimise such dangers.

Governors from Enugu and Zamfara states highlighted their experiences with locally organised security initiatives.

Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah said his administration invested heavily in surveillance technology, artificial intelligence-enabled security infrastructure, and a Distress Response Squad to combat insecurity.

According to him, combining technology with locally coordinated security operations significantly reduced violent crime across the state.

Similarly, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal said the state's Community Protection Guards have improved intelligence gathering and provided quicker responses to attacks in vulnerable communities.

He argued that formal state police would strengthen such initiatives by placing command and control directly under state governments.

Former Chief of Defence Staff General Lucky Irabor urged Nigerians to understand that state police is primarily about decentralising command structures rather than replacing existing security institutions.

He explained that police officers are already deployed across local communities, but operational decisions remain highly centralised.

Irabor maintained that state police should complement—not compete with—the Nigeria Police Force, stressing that effective coordination between federal and state security agencies would be essential.

While broad consensus appears to exist on the need for security reforms, disagreements remain over the pace, structure, funding, oversight, and implementation of state policing.

Supporters believe decentralisation will improve accountability, intelligence gathering, and rapid response to crime, while critics insist that stronger institutional safeguards, funding mechanisms, and comprehensive planning must precede any constitutional amendment.

As constitutional amendments progress through the National Assembly, the debate over state police is expected to remain one of Nigeria's most consequential governance and security discussions.