By Nasir Abdulquadri.
Nastv Africa
I acknowledge the potential strengths of state policing. A decentralized policing system can improve community intelligence, reduce response times, enhance local accountability, and strengthen security where federal policing has been overstretched. In principle, it is a compelling idea.
My concern, however, is that introducing state police under our current political and institutional realities may be more reactive than strategic.
My reservations are informed by history. We have witnessed how regional security outfits and vigilante groups, such as the Bakassi Boys, OPC, and similar organizations in parts of Northern Nigeria, were at different times perceived as instruments that could be influenced or deployed by political interests against opponents. That experience should caution us against assuming that state police will automatically serve only the public interest.
The fundamental issue is not the concept of state police itself. It is the weakness of our institutions. As long as governors control the funding, recruitment, logistics, and operational direction of state police without strong constitutional safeguards and truly independent oversight, the risk of political abuse remains significant.
Patriotism, unfortunately, appears to be at one of its lowest ebbs within our political class. This is evident in how many state institutions are treated as extensions of executive power.
We have seen concerns about the management of public resources, the dominance of state legislatures, attempts to influence electoral structures, pressure on traditional institutions, and the perceived erosion of judicial independence in some states.
These institutional weaknesses should have been addressed before placing armed, locally recruited police forces under state control.
A critical question therefore remains. Who controls the weapons? Who determines deployment? Who ensures accountability? If these powers rest almost entirely with state governors, then the potential for misuse cannot be ignored.
State police can indeed strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture, but only when supported by robust institutions, constitutional checks and balances, independent oversight, and a political culture that places the rule of law above partisan interests.
I sincerely pray that every reform we undertake strengthens, not weakens, the unity, justice, and democratic future of our beloved country, Nigeria.
Nasir Abdulquadri
Nastv Africa
