Demand for State Police Rises as Insecurity Grips the Nation

O On February 15, 2024, President Bola Tinubu along with the state governors concurred, in principle, to establish state police as one of the strategies aimed at addressing the escalating levels of insecurity throughout the nation.

On Thursday, February 1, 2024, when the opposition PDP Governors' Forum visited Plateau State to express sympathy over the ongoing murders of unarmed civilians, they supported the strong demands for establishing state police forces.

We remember that during a summit held on Monday, September 12, 2022, both the Northern Governors Forum (NGF) and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council (NTRC) advocated for amending the 1999 Constitution with the aim of providing legal backing for state police forces. As stated in their concluding statement from the gathering in Abuja, this change would "effectively and efficiently tackle the security issues facing the area."

In an unexpected shift in April 2022, ex-Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo advocated for the establishment of state police as a means to address the escalating security issues within the nation.

The primary hurdles in establishing state police forces stem from the provisions within the 1999 Constitution. Specifically, Section 214(1) clearly states, "A single police force must serve all of Nigeria, named the Nigeria Police Force; furthermore, under this section’s guidelines, no additional police force should be created for either the federation or any region therein."

Section 215(4) of the Constitution states: "Notwithstanding anything in this section, the governor of a state or an authorized commissioner thereof can issue lawful directives concerning the preservation and protection of public safety and order within said state to the police commissioner. The police commissioner must adhere to these instructions or ensure they are followed accordingly. However, prior to implementing any directive from Subsection (a), the police commissioner has the option to seek guidance from either the president or another government minister appointed by the president."

It is clear from the information provided that only a constitutional amendment has the potential to result in the creation of state police forces. However, disappointingly, none of the 68 Constitution Amendment Bills considered by the National Assembly in 2022 addressed this matter, even as security concerns within the nation continued to escalate.

The topic of state police has remained at the forefront of public discussion for decades. This issue has sparked significant controversy. Each Nigerian president has resisted this idea for unclear reasons, possibly due to wanting to maintain control over the use of coercive power. Many citizens oppose state police out of concern about potential misuse by state governors, fearing these officials might employ law enforcement against their political adversaries. On the contrary, most Nigerians across different parties and even the governors themselves—who serve as chief security officers within their own states—believe it’s essential to establish a state police system.

Could a single Inspector-General of Police, despite being extraordinarily capable, from Abuja effectively establish a comprehensive security framework for each village and hamlet across an extensive region encompassing more than 250 distinct ethnic groups with varied histories, tongues, and traditions? Many believe that incidents like the Owo massacre, along with numerous others, could potentially have been thwarted or at least rendered more challenging to execute if we had state-level policing.

Although we recognize the potential downsides of constitutional police decentralization, we feel that the advantages significantly outweigh any possible disadvantages. Moreover, no state leader will have complete authority over the police force. Given the widespread issues caused by Boko Haram terror attacks, banditry, kidnappings for ransom, herder violence, armed robberies, and ritualistic abductions across the nation, establishing state-level policing has become imperative. Local law enforcement would prove particularly adept at fighting crimes within their communities and familiar territories.

Each advanced society implements a tiered law enforcement structure. Nigeria should not stand apart from this norm. Hence, we encourage the National Assembly to swiftly address the creation of state police forces.

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