Security
After Spate of Militant Killings in Benue and Plateau, Will State Police Finally Be a Reality?
After over 100 residents of Plateau State were recently killed in a brutal militant attack, President Bola Tinubu called on Governor Caleb Mutfwang to address the “age-long” communal issues connected to the killings.
However, security observers saw this statement as passing the buck, considering Nigeria’s flawed federal system that gives excessive power to the centre. Nearly 65 years since Nigeria’s independence, the federal government still controls the police across all states of the federation, leaving state governors with limited control over their states’ security architecture.
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As such, it is always a dubious endeavour to blame a Nigerian governor for security failures when they have little or no control over the security agencies. Such failures have spurred unanswered calls for the creation of state police in the country for decades.
However, on Sunday, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele indicated that the days of waiting for the establishment of state police may soon be over. The Ekiti Central senator said the National Assembly was developing legal frameworks to establish state police as part of efforts to address insecurity in the country.
It is important to note that this is not Bamidele’s first time disclosing the National Assembly’s work on “developing frameworks” for a state policing system. In February 2024, the senator told a gathering at the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, that the National Assembly was “working tirelessly” to make state police a reality.
“More than ever before, the National Assembly is working tirelessly to provide the necessary legislative framework to strengthen community policing and multi-level security architecture. Developing such a legal framework has become imperative at this time in our history,” he said.
More than a year later, the National Assembly appears to still be “working tirelessly”, rather than acting in a timely manner, to decentralise Nigeria’s policing system. So, the question now is: could this long-discussed reform finally become a reality, and would it stem the tide of violence? Maybe the recent killings will inject some urgency into the National Assembly’s actions. Maybe not.
A Centralised System Under Siege
Nigeria’s security challenges are not new. From Boko Haram’s insurgency in the Northeast to banditry in the Northwest, farmer-herder clashes in the Middle Belt, and separatist agitations in the Southeast, the country has faced multifaceted threats that have overwhelmed its centralised policing system.
The Nigeria Police Force, with just over 370,000 officers for a population exceeding 200 million, struggles to maintain law and order across diverse terrains spanning 923,768 square kilometres. This has led to a policing ratio far below the United Nations’ recommended 1:450, rendering the NPF overstretched and often ineffective.
“I maintain that the police have not been set up properly to succeed in this nation. Effective policing in Nigeria is almost impossible unless there are fundamental changes,” said Bamidele at the 2024 Distinguished Personality Lecture Series jointly organised by the Department of Political Science and Institute of Legislative Studies, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, in July 2024.
Senate Leader, Bamidele Opeyemi
The recent attacks in Benue and Plateau underscore this crisis. This month alone, reports indicate that more than 150 people have been senselessly killed in Benue and Plateau communities. These incidents follow a pattern of abductions, killings, and displacements in states like Kaduna, Katsina, and Zamfara. The centralised police, often unfamiliar with local dynamics and hampered by bureaucratic delays, has failed to provide swift responses, leaving communities vulnerable.
For over a decade, Nigerians have debated the merits of decentralising the country’s policing system. Former Presidents like Goodluck Jonathan and former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo have supported it. The 2014 National Conference endorsed it. Southern governors have demanded it. Even a committee created by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) recommended it to former President Muhammadu Buhari after yearslong work. Yet, reform has remained elusive.
Some critics fear that state police could be weaponised by governors to suppress political opponents, citing Nigeria’s history of police abuse under the centralised system. Although not an irrational fear, considering Nigeria’s ugly history of abusing security agencies to target the vulnerable, the security of lives and property should frankly prevail over fears of a hypothetical future.
The Case for State Police and Challenges Ahead
The argument for state police is compelling, as local forces, familiar with their communities’ terrain, culture, and dynamics, could reasonably respond faster and more effectively to threats.
Governors, as actual chief security officers of their states, would gain the authority to coordinate security measures, reducing reliance on federal intervention. Bamidele and other proponents argue that state police aligns with federalism, allowing states to tailor security strategies to their unique challenges.
Moreover, state police could reduce the overburdening of the Nigerian military, which has been deployed for internal security operations in violation of its constitutional mandate. This practice, Bamidele warned in July 2024, undermines Nigeria’s democratic image and diverts the armed forces from their primary role of defending national borders.
However, the challenges are significant. The proliferation of vigilante groups like Amotekun in the Southwest, Ebubeagu in the Southeast, and the Civilian Joint Task Force in the North highlights the risks of uncoordinated security outfits operating without a national legal framework. Bamidele has expressed concern that these groups, while filling gaps left by the NPF, could degenerate into crises if not regulated. Essentially, a poorly implemented state police system could exacerbate these issues, leading to rivalries or human rights abuses.
Funding is another hurdle. Wealthier states like Lagos and Rivers could establish robust police forces, while poorer states might struggle, creating disparities in security coverage. Bamidele suggests federal grants and technical assistance to bridge this gap, but the financial logistics remain unclear.
The Road Ahead: Can State Police Become a Reality?
The recent killings in Benue and Plateau have amplified the urgency of security reform, with socio-political leaders from the Southern and Middle Belt zones echoing calls for state police.
President Bola Tinubu
Moreover, President Tinubu’s establishment of a committee in February 2024 to explore state policing indicates high-level support, but the process requires broad consensus and faster execution. Constitutional amendments need approval from two-thirds of the 36 state legislatures, a complex task given divergent regional interests.
Therefore, public education and stakeholder engagement are critical, according to Bamidele, who spoke during a lecture, titled “Constitutional Amendment and the Political Dynamics of State Police in Nigeria.” He emphasised transparency and inclusivity, urging civil society, traditional leaders, and citizens to participate in the discourse. The National Assembly must also address safeguards, such as robust welfare packages for officers, minimum equipment standards, and accountability mechanisms to prevent misuse.
FURTHER READING
As the country grapples with its complex security landscape, the success of state policing will depend on careful planning, robust safeguards, and a collective commitment to prioritising the safety of all citizens. Whether this long-standing clamour will finally materialise into a transformative reform remains to be seen — but the stakes have never been higher.
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