The escalating wave of violence across Nigeria has ignited a renewed and urgent national demand for the establishment of State Police. With massacres, banditry, and mass kidnappings plaguing schools, worship centres, and rural communities, the call has transformed from a request into a desperate public mandate.
A Converging National Consensus
This shift in public sentiment was powerfully articulated by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, at the second Joint Retreat of the House and Senate Committees on Constitution Review in Abuja. He stated that Nigerians are now demanding, not just requesting, fundamental reforms. The burden to deliver on expectations for state police and fiscal federalism now rests squarely on the National Assembly and the 36 State Houses of Assembly.
The failure of the centralised policing model was a central theme at the recent South-West Zonal Security Summit in Lagos. Legislators, security experts, and traditional leaders unanimously declared that insecurity has far outpaced federal capacity. In a decisive move, the six South-West governors—Seyi Makinde, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Biodun Oyebanji, Dapo Abiodun, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and Osun's Deputy Governor Kola Adewusi—announced sweeping regional security measures from Ibadan. These include a dedicated security fund and a real-time intelligence network, signalling the region's impatience with waiting for federal intervention.
Governor Sanwo-Olu specifically called for strengthening Amotekun into a unified, tech-driven force for cross-border operations. This sentiment was echoed by Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, who asserted that "localised challenges require local solutions."
An Unprecedented Shift in the North
In a dramatic development that marks a historic turning point, the 19 Northern States Governors' Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council have, for the first time, openly endorsed the creation of State Police. This ends years of hesitation from Northern leaders and creates a rare, unanimous national position: the centrally controlled police force has failed.
The North-West Governors' Forum, led by Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda, added its voice, demanding both State Police and fiscal federalism in the constitutional review. Governor Radda stressed that without sweeping reforms, Nigeria remains trapped in outdated structures that cripple security and governance.
The Path Forward and Inevitable Reality
While the military, through the Chief of Defence Intelligence Lt-Gen Emmanuel Undiandeye, acknowledges the "dynamic and complex" threat environment and is boosting its capabilities, the solution points locally. The existing de facto state police structures like Amotekun and Ebube Agu highlight the current constitutional contradiction.
Critics rightly fear the potential abuse of State Police by governors, a lesson from the First Republic. However, these risks can be mitigated through:
- Clear legal safeguards and independent oversight commissions.
- Autonomy in recruitment and transparent operational standards.
- Federal supervisory mechanisms.
The insecurity ravaging the nation today presents a far greater danger than the theoretical risks of decentralisation.
President Bola Tinubu has recognised the inevitability of State Police, establishing a committee in February 2024 and approving a rollout in November 2025 for states that require it. However, tangible progress hinges on a constitutional amendment by the National Assembly.
The debate is over. Decentralised policing is a constitutional imperative for Nigeria's survival. The National Assembly must act, the states must prepare, and the Federal Government must accept that true security begins in communities, not at the centre.
