ARISE Town Hall Meeting: Stakeholders Seek Safeguards From Abuse of State Police

• Push for judicial, constitutional reforms, funding 

•Want collaboration among security agencies 

•Say idea should not be for elite, ethnic or religion-based

Iyobosa Uwugiaren, Chuks Okocha, Adedayo Akinwale, Alex Enumah and Linus Aleke in Abuja

A broad national consensus on the need to establish state police came on stream yesterday as governors, federal lawmakers, security chiefs, legal experts, and international security specialists called for sweeping constitutional, judicial, and institutional reforms to make the proposed policing system effective, accountable, and insulated from political abuse.

At the ARISE News Town Hall on Building a National Consensus for State Police and National Security, in Abuja, participants agreed that Nigeria’s worsening insecurity had exposed the limitations of the country’s centralised policing structure.

They, however, cautioned that state police would only succeed if backed by adequate funding, judicial reforms, operational safeguards, intelligence sharing, local government autonomy, and constitutional amendments.

Former Israeli Prime Minister, Ehiud Barak, Says It’s Step in Right Direction

Giving an international perspective to the debate, former Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, who delivered the keynote address, described the establishment of state police as “a step in the right direction,” considering Nigeria’s vast geographical size and complex security challenges.

Barak stated that Israel’s highly centralised policing model worked because of its relatively small territory, explaining that the entire country is roughly the size of an average Nigerian state.

He said, “In terms of geography, Israel is probably 40 times smaller than Nigeria. Within two hours’ drive, you cover almost 90 per cent of the population.

“Nigeria is a totally different country. I strongly believe the idea of having state police is a very good start in the right direction.”

The former prime minister, however, warned that decentralisation must be accompanied by carefully crafted legislation to prevent political abuse.

He proposed that state police formations should operate within a national framework that gives the president and the federal government limited emergency powers during national crises, while ensuring transparency through central oversight.

Barak also stressed that intelligence gathering—not merely military deployment—remained the most effective weapon against terrorism.

He urged Nigeria to strengthen human intelligence networks at the community level while maintaining centralised control over signal intelligence, drawing parallels between Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram and Israel’s decades-long battles against Hamas and Hezbollah.

According to him, military forces should not routinely perform law enforcement duties because policing requires different skills, community engagement, and operational culture.

He encouraged Nigeria to learn from international experiences while adapting reforms to its own peculiar realities.

Kalu: We’re in Final Legislative Process

The debate also shifted to the National Assembly, where Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, announced that lawmakers had commenced the final legislative process for the establishment of state police.

Kalu disclosed that the National Assembly had constituted a conference committee comprising members of both chambers to harmonise the different versions of the state police bill already passed by Senate and House of Representatives.

He stated, “Yesterday, we constituted the conference committee. Twelve members from the House will sit with members of the senate to harmonise both versions before transmitting the final document to the state Houses of Assembly.”

Expressing optimism that the constitution amendment would soon receive the endorsement of state legislatures, Kalu said the growing support of governors had significantly improved the prospects of the reform, insisting that state police must go hand-in-hand with full local government autonomy.

According to him, effective grassroots governance would significantly strengthen local intelligence gathering and community policing.

The deputy speaker disclosed that the federal government had also inaugurated a State Police Implementation Committee to draft amendments to the Police Act and develop operational guidelines for the proposed policing structure.

He explained that while the federal police would continue to handle national security and interstate crimes, state police would focus on local law enforcement and community security.

State Police Funding Should Be Placed on First-line Charge, Senate Leader Declares

Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, who focused on institutional safeguards, insisted that state police funding should be placed on first-line charge to guarantee operational independence.

“There must be first-line charge funding similar to the judiciary so that the police will not become subject to the whims and caprices of governors,” Bamidele said.

He maintained that local government autonomy remained indispensable to effective grassroots policing.

Oshiomhole: Present Policing Arrangement Constitutionally Contradictory

Lending his voice to the debate, Senator Adams Oshiomhole described Nigeria’s present policing arrangement as constitutionally contradictory.

Oshiomhole stated that governors could not be held responsible for security while lacking authority over police recruitment, deployment, and discipline.

He explained, “The constitution calls the governor the chief security officer, yet he cannot recruit, deploy, promote, or discipline police officers.

“It is like calling someone a husband when he has no wife.”

Rejecting concerns that state governments might lack the resources to finance police formations, Oshiomhole stated that government spending always reflected political priorities.

He recalled spending heavily on police logistics during his tenure as Edo State Governor, despite lacking operational control over the force.

“If governors misuse state police, the electorate should vote them out,” Oshiomhole added.

Natasha Worried About Accountability

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan also advocated an independent police system insulated from political interference, questioning how accountability would be guaranteed where governors or political authorities attempt to influence operational decisions.

The Kogi Central senator called for wider deployment of digital technologies against insecurity, citing instances where terrorists openly use social media platforms without apprehension.

“As long as we are citizens, we cannot give up on Nigeria,” she said.

Musa Warns Against Using Police for Ethnic Domination, As Instrument of Religious Bias

Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, while backing the creation of state police, warned that such institutions must never become instruments of ethnic domination, religious bias, or elite protection.

“State police should not be ethnic or religiously based, nor should they exist to protect the elite,” Musa stated. “They must guarantee justice and fairness,” he added.

He also called for closer collaboration between security agencies, traditional rulers, and community leaders.

According to him, local communities remain the most valuable source of intelligence in the fight against insurgency and terrorism.

Musa urged traditional rulers to maintain accurate records of residents and promptly report suspicious movements.

The minister defended military rules of engagement in counter-insurgency operations, explaining that personnel are adequately trained to distinguish conventional warfare from asymmetric conflicts.

He, nevertheless, insisted that military action alone could not solve insecurity without good governance capable of earning citizens’ trust.

Soludo Seeks Comprehensive Restructuring

Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, stated that state policing would fail unless accompanied by a comprehensive restructuring of Nigeria’s judicial system.

Soludo said policing and justice administration were inseparable, stressing that the establishment of state police should be complemented by state Courts of Appeal and state Supreme Courts.

He stated, “We talk about state police but forget the state judiciary. The issue is how to make state police sustainable.

“Police and the judiciary work together to achieve justice.”

He lamented that disputes arising purely within states currently travelled through the federal judicial hierarchy, causing prolonged delay.

Using land disputes in Anambra State as an example, Soludo said cases that ought to be resolved locally often spent decades in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

He said, “Some appeals take over 40 years before final determination.

“State appellate courts would deliver justice much faster.”

Beyond judicial reforms, Soludo also called for a review of Nigeria’s fiscal federalism. He maintained that devolving policing powers without corresponding financial autonomy would create another layer of administrative failure.

Describing the current revenue allocation formula as inequitable, he proposed increasing states’ share of federation revenue from about 26 per cent to at least 40 per cent.

“If we are devolving powers, we must also devolve resources,” he said.

Judicial Reforms Must Accompany State Policing, Ogun Governor, Abiodun, Explains

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, supported Soludo’s position, saying judicial reforms must accompany state policing because local disputes would increasingly fall under state jurisdiction.

Abiodun also stressed the need to review revenue allocation to enable states shoulder their expanded responsibilities.

He described President Bola Tinubu’s support for state police as one of the administration’s boldest security reforms and cited the success of the joint Lagos-Ogun “Operation Ko S’aye” security initiative as evidence that sub-national collaboration could improve public safety.

Mutfwang: Benefits Outweigh Its Risks

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, said the benefits of state police far outweighed the potential risks, urging Nigerians not to allow fear of possible abuse derail reforms capable of strengthening internal security.

Mutfwang stated, “We should not live in fear of the unknown. We must build institutions that guarantee citizens’ rights while protecting life and property.”

The governor identified land disputes, identity conflicts, and political manipulation as major contributors to insecurity, warning that reducing discussions about state police solely to funding issues would undermine broader institutional reforms.

Mbah: Tech, Sustainable Funding Crucial

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State stated that technology and sustainable funding would determine the success of any decentralised policing arrangement.

Mbah disclosed that Enugu had invested heavily in Artificial Intelligence-powered CCTV surveillance systems, smart patrol vehicles, and advanced security infrastructure.

“We treated security as our number one priority from inception because every developmental objective depends on a secure environment,” Mbah said.

He also highlighted investments in training, personnel welfare, and professionalism, insisting that security should be regarded as the gateway to economic development.

According to him, technology significantly enhances the effectiveness of security personnel by complementing conventional deployment of officers on the ground.

He also stressed the importance of continuous training, professional development, and improved welfare packages for security personnel.

Mbah said, “We invested in training because we wanted a dedicated workforce. We also wanted fairness and to be seen as fair.

“Security is not just another budget item; it is the gateway through which every other achievement passes.”

Funding, Poor Training, Weak Welfare Undermine Police, Governor Lawal States

Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, said inadequate funding, poor training, and weak welfare had continued to undermine the Nigeria Police.

However, Lawal assured participants that state governments would adequately finance their police formations when eventually established.

He disclosed that his administration had procured over 500 operational vehicles and 35 Armoured Personnel Carriers within three years to support security agencies combating banditry in Zamfara.

He reiterated his administration’s policy of refusing to negotiate with or pay ransom to terrorists.

“We must resist the temptation of paying ransom to criminals,” he declared.

Ex-Defence Chief, Irabor, Says State Police Should Not Compete with Federal Police

Contributing to the debate, former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, emphasised that state police should complement – not compete with – the Nigeria Police and other security agencies.

Irabor stressed that intelligence sharing, joint operations, proper training, logistics, welfare, and professional administration would determine the effectiveness of both federal and state policing systems.

“If we fail to address these issues, the same weaknesses affecting the federal police today will simply be replicated at the state level,” he warned.

Let’s Build Capacity Before Creating State Police, Ex-lawmaker, Nnena Ukejie, Advises

Former House of Representatives member, Hon. Nnena Ukejie, called on the federal government to strengthen the capacity of the Nigeria Police to fight crime before embarking on the decentralisation of the force.

Ukejie, who spoke as a panellist, observed that if the national police were weak, there was every possibility that the state police would also be weak.

According to her, the Nigerian Police is today confronted with crimes, such as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, proliferation of small arms, among others, which require a different method to handle.

As part of solutions to the current insecurity in the country, she suggested the strengthening of institutions as well as the need for good governance.

Ukejie stated that abuse would not happen if the country was able to build strong systems, laws, and oversight.

Chidi Odinkalu Raises More Reservations

Former Chairman of National Human Rights Commission, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, raised strong reservations about both the timing and transparency of the ongoing constitutional amendment.

Odinkalu said two different versions of the State Police Bill were before the National Assembly without adequate public consultation.

He also questioned governors’ commitment to justice sector reforms, alleging that many states underfund their ministries of justice while seeking greater policing powers.

Odinkalu explained, “The police enforce the law; they do not administer justice. If governors have neglected their justice ministries, why should Nigerians believe they will suddenly prioritise policing?”

Moghalu: Constitutional Amendment Alone Wouldn’t Operationalise State Police

Secretary of the Presidential Working Group on National Policing Bill, Dubem Moghalu, explained that constitutional amendment alone would not operationalise state police.

Moghalu disclosed that the Presidential Working Group, chaired by Chief of Staff to the President, and comprising the National Security Adviser, Attorney-General of the Federation, governors, Nigerian Bar Association, and Inspector-General of Police, had begun the drafting of a comprehensive National Policing Bill.

According to him, the legislation would establish the legal, administrative, and operational framework for a dual policing system tailored to Nigeria’s unique security environment.

Ogunsakin Promises Multiple Safeguards

Chairman of Nigeria Police Force Steering Committee on State Police, Professor Olu Ogunsakin, assured Nigerians that multiple safeguards had already been incorporated into the proposed state police framework to prevent abuse.

Ogunsakin said State Police Service Commissions, ombudsmen, oversight boards, and clearly defined constitutional processes would regulate relationships between governors and state police commissioners.

He added that the Inspector-General of Police was fully committed to the ongoing reforms.

“You cannot shave a man’s head in his absence,” he remarked, stressing that the Nigeria Police must remain an integral partner in designing the new policing architecture.

Former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, who gave the vote of thanks, commended the management of THISDAY/Arise TV for the town hall meeting.

Osoba advised that a communique from the engagement should be sent to President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to enhance ongoing conversations around state policing.

By the close of the town hall attended by eminent Nigerians from all sectors, a broad consensus had emerged that while state police enjoyed unprecedented national support, its success would depend on comprehensive constitutional amendments, judicial restructuring, guaranteed funding, local government autonomy, strong intelligence-sharing mechanisms, technological innovation, operational independence, effective oversight, and robust safeguards against political manipulation.

Speaker after speaker commended Chairman/Editor-In-Chief of THISDAY/Arise Media Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, for putting the event together, describing it as timely and important.