As Nigeria faces escalating security threats, a significant push for establishing state police forces is gaining traction among security experts and policymakers. This call was the central theme of a high-level policy dialogue held in Abuja over the weekend, focusing on a crucial paper titled “State Police in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges.”
High-Level Dialogue Examines Decentralised Policing
The forum, which took place on December 23, 2025, brought together a wide array of senior figures to scrutinise the potential introduction of state-level law enforcement. Participants analysed the opportunities, risks, and necessary institutional frameworks for integrating state police into Nigeria's federal structure. This discussion is set against a troubling backdrop of increasing incidents of banditry, kidnapping, and communal violence across numerous states.
Key attendees at the event included:
- Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Usman Gumel, representing the Inspector-General of Police.
- Pirmah Rimdans, Conflict Adviser at the British High Commission.
- ACP Ogbonnaya Nwota, Director of Research and Planning at the National Institute of Police Studies.
- DCC Onyeogu Benedicta, Head of Local Training at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
- Chris Ngwodo, Director-General of the Office for Strategic Preparedness and Resilience (OSPRE).
Weighing the Benefits Against the Risks
Proponents of state policing argue that moving away from a centrally controlled federal system would lead to faster responses to local security threats. They believe it would enhance community engagement and cut through the bureaucratic delays often associated with a centralised command structure. This model refers to establishing law enforcement agencies under the authority of individual state governments.
However, the dialogue also seriously addressed the concerns of critics. Potential pitfalls highlighted include the risk of political interference by state governors, challenges in securing sustainable funding, the possibility of weak oversight mechanisms, and the duplication of roles with existing federal agencies.
The author of the foundational policy paper, renowned criminologist Professor Etannibi Alemika, outlined the potential benefits. He strongly emphasised that success would depend on implementing strong constitutional safeguards, sustainable funding models, effective inter-agency coordination, and robust accountability mechanisms to prevent any abuse of power.
A Call for Evidence-Based Reform
Dr. Ukoha Ukiwo, Team Leader of the Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria Programme, stressed that the debate must be rooted in concrete evidence, not political sentiment. “The conversation on state policing must go beyond rhetoric. It requires careful consideration of accountability, human rights protections and institutional capacity,” he stated. He added that informed dialogue is essential for achieving true citizen safety, trust, and sustainable peace.
Other speakers echoed that while decentralised policing could improve local security outcomes and strengthen community relations, its effectiveness would hinge on clear legal frameworks, strong institutional oversight, and seamless coordination between federal and state authorities.
The event concluded with an interactive plenary session where participants critically examined the paper's recommendations. They shared insights from policing models in other countries and discussed practical strategies to enhance state capacity and foster deeper community engagement.
This important programme is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and implemented by Tetra Tech International Development in partnership with Nextier SPD, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD). Its overarching goal is to strengthen institutional capacity for conflict management, boost public confidence in key institutions, and promote lasting peace in Nigeria.
