Former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, has called for the allocation of three per cent of the Federation Account to fund the proposed State Police system, warning that the initiative could fail without a sustainable financing framework.
Growing Consensus on State Police
Okechukwu commended the growing national consensus and bipartisan support for the establishment of State Police, describing the reform as an unavoidable response to Nigeria's worsening security challenges. In a statement issued on Monday, he noted that while reviewing the constitutional amendment bill recently passed by the House of Representatives seeking to establish State Police, he found no provision specifying a dedicated funding mechanism for the new security structure.
Need for Adequate Funding
According to him, effective policing requires adequate and predictable funding, especially in an era of asymmetric warfare where modern technology, intelligence gathering and sophisticated security equipment are critical to combating crime and insecurity. He argued that devolving police powers alone would not address the structural weaknesses that have hampered the effectiveness of the Nigeria Police Force over the years.
“The realities on the ground have made State Police an unavoidable national necessity. However, the creation of State Police without a clearly defined funding framework in the bill and a synergy paradigm with other security agencies will amount to chasing shadows,” he said.
Proposed Funding Mechanism
Okechukwu warned that leaving the financing of State Police solely to state governments could undermine the objective of the reform, particularly given the varying fiscal capacities of states across the federation. He therefore proposed that three per cent of the Federation Account be specifically earmarked for State Police operations through an appropriate adjustment of the Federal Government's share of revenue allocation.
The former VON boss cautioned that inadequate funding could result in poorly equipped and poorly motivated personnel, raising the risk of abuse of power and inefficiency. He stressed that effective policing remains central to peace, economic growth, democratic stability and public confidence in government, urging lawmakers and other stakeholders to incorporate a dedicated funding provision into the State Police bill.
Okechukwu maintained that a sustainable funding model would help ensure that State Police, if established, operates professionally, remains accountable and delivers the expected security benefits to Nigerians.
