By John Dike, Osogbo
The Chairman of the Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OCSC), Comrade Dr. Waheed Lawal, has advocated the establishment of state police as a solution to Nigeria’s worsening security challenges, but warned that the initiative must be backed by strong constitutional safeguards to prevent abuse by state governors.
Speaking with our correspondent in an interview , Lawal described Nigeria’s centrally controlled policing system as outdated and incapable of effectively responding to today’s security realities.
According to him, the current arrangement, where security operations are directed from Abuja, has weakened timely responses to emergencies in communities across the country.
“Our centralised policing system controlled from Abuja is completely broken. It makes no sense that a security emergency in a village in Osun State cannot be decisively handled until orders come from the Inspector-General of Police in Abuja,” he said.
He argued that policing is fundamentally local and should be driven by officers who understand the language, culture, geography and social dynamics of the communities they serve.
“Security is local. It must be driven by people who know the culture, the language and the terrain. From my perspective, decentralising the police is a necessity if we truly want to secure our communities,” Lawal stated.
The civil society leader, however, stressed that his support for state police was not unconditional, warning that the proposed security structure could become a dangerous political weapon if adequate checks and balances are not put in place.
Fear of Political Abuse
Lawal said concerns that governors could hijack state police for political purposes are genuine and should not be ignored.
“The fear that governors will turn state police into their personal political thuggish wing is 100 per cent justified. I share this fear deeply,” he said.
He noted that Nigeria’s democratic experience has shown instances where state institutions were allegedly manipulated to intimidate opposition figures, activists and critics.
According to him, establishing state police without independent oversight would expose citizens to political persecution.
“If we simply hand a police force over to state executives without strict structural oversight, they will use it to crush opposition and harass dissenting voices,” he warned.
To prevent such abuse, Lawal proposed the establishment of constitutionally recognised and independent Police Service Boards in every state.
He said the boards should comprise representatives of the judiciary, the Nigerian Bar Association, civil society organisations, traditional institutions and other credible stakeholders.
“The control of state police must never rest solely with the governor. These independent boards should oversee appointments, promotions, discipline and funding. If a governor can dismiss a Commissioner of Police at will, then we have only succeeded in creating a monster,” he added.
South-West Has Structural Advantage
Assessing the readiness of the South-West for state policing, Lawal said the region already has a solid foundation through the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun.
According to him, Amotekun has demonstrated that community-based intelligence gathering remains one of the most effective approaches to tackling insecurity.
“Amotekun has proven that local intelligence works. Its operatives understand our forests and communities in a way federal officers never could,” he noted.
He, however, cautioned that transforming Amotekun into a fully-fledged state police service would require substantial investments.
Lawal said state governments must be prepared to provide modern operational equipment, advanced communication systems, forensic facilities, quality training and improved welfare packages capable of insulating officers from corruption and undue political influence.
“Moving from Amotekun to a fully-fledged state police force requires a massive leap in funding and infrastructure. States must demonstrate the financial capacity to sustain such an institution,” he said.
Need for Regional Collaboration
Lawal further observed that criminals operate across state boundaries, making regional cooperation indispensable.
He explained that kidnapping gangs could commit crimes in one state and escape into neighbouring states before security agencies could respond.
“A kidnapper can strike in Osun and hide in the forests of Ondo. Therefore, our readiness depends entirely on how well the South-West states can unite to create a joint and seamless intelligence-sharing network,” he stated.
He urged governments in the region to establish coordinated intelligence platforms and joint security operations capable of tracking criminal activities across state borders.
Lawal maintained that the national conversation should move beyond whether Nigeria needs state police to designing a constitutional framework that guarantees professionalism, accountability, operational independence and political neutrality.
According to him, state police can only succeed where independent oversight exists, funding is sustainable, officers are well trained and insulated from political interference.
“If properly implemented, decentralised policing can transform Nigeria’s internal security architecture by making law enforcement more responsive, intelligence-driven and community-oriented.
“But without strong constitutional safeguards, independent oversight bodies and regional collaboration, state police could create new security and democratic challenges,” he said.
He concluded that Nigeria needs a policing system that is local in operation, professional in conduct and independent in administration, stressing that achieving that balance should remain the guiding principle for any constitutional amendment establishing state police.
