By Emeka Isiogu
The debate over state police should begin with one question: Is the current centralized policing system adequately protecting Nigerians?
For millions of Nigerians, especially those living in rural communities, semi-urban towns and those travelling our highways, the answer is clearly no.
Across many parts of the country, communities have endured years of kidnappings, banditry, terrorism, violent attacks on farmers, and other forms of insecurity. Families have lost loved ones, businesses have closed, farmers have abandoned their lands, and people now plan journeys based on fear rather than convenience. These are not isolated incidents; they represent a persistent security challenge that requires a more responsive approach.
A centralized police force, however dedicated, cannot effectively police a country as large, diverse, and populous as Nigeria from a single command structure. Security is fundamentally local. Officers who understand the language, terrain, culture, and security dynamics of a state are often better positioned to gather intelligence, prevent crime, and respond quickly to emergencies.
Opponents of state police, like Olisa Agbakoba SAN, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu and Oby Ezekwesili, to reference a few, often raise concerns that governors could misuse state-controlled police for political purposes, etc. That concern is legitimate and should not be dismissed. However, the possibility of abuse is not, by itself, a sufficient reason to reject reform. Institutions are strengthened by safeguards, not by refusing to create them. Independent police service commissions, judicial oversight, legislative checks, transparent recruitment, secure funding, and strict constitutional limits can all be designed to reduce the risk of political interference.
The real question is whether Nigeria should continue with a security structure that many citizens believe is failing them simply because a new system could be abused. Every public institution—from the judiciary to the legislature and even the federal police—can be abused if accountability is weak. The solution is stronger accountability, not institutional paralysis.
Those who shape public policy and opinion leaders like Agboka, Odinkalu and Ezekwesili, and others should also pay close attention to the realities experienced by ordinary Nigerians. Security debates should not be driven primarily by those whose daily lives are insulated from the dangers faced by people travelling highways, farming in remote communities, or running businesses in areas plagued by violent crime. Effective policy should be informed by the experiences of the citizens who bear the greatest burden of insecurity.
State police is not a magic solution, nor will it eliminate every security challenge overnight. But it represents an opportunity to decentralize policing, improve intelligence gathering, increase response times, and make security institutions more accountable to the communities they serve.
The ultimate purpose of government is the protection of lives and property. If the existing system is consistently falling short of that responsibility, Nigeria should have the courage to pursue reforms that bring security closer to the people. The discussion should no longer be whether change is necessary, but how to implement that change responsibly, constitutionally, and with robust safeguards against abuse.
