- IGP, State Speakers Clash Over State Police as Debate Deepens.
- State Speakers argue centralised policing has failed and needs reform.
- Debate reveals growing division between federal and state security priorities
The long-running debate over the creation of state police resurfaced prominently on Monday as the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and the Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly, led by Debo Ogundoyin, sharply disagreed on the matter during a constitutional dialogue on national security in Abuja.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the event, themed “Nigeria’s Peace and Security: The Constitutional Imperative,” was organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser.
IGP Egbetokun restated his firm opposition to decentralised policing, declaring that Nigeria’s current political and economic climate is not conducive for such a move.
“Our assessment, based on current political, institutional, and socio-economic realities, suggests that Nigeria is not politically prepared for the initiation of police powers at the state level,” he said.
Citing Sections 214(1) and 215(1) of the 1999 Constitution, the police chief argued that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is the only constitutionally recognised policing institution, with its command vested solely in the IGP.
Egbetokun acknowledged that state police might offer quicker responses to local threats, but warned of possible misuse, weak funding structures in states, and the risk of fragmented national security.
He instead advocated for reforms within the NPF, including strengthening federal policing capacity, expanding community policing under the existing structure, and improving intelligence-sharing systems.
However, Oyo State House of Assembly Speaker Debo Ogundoyin, speaking on behalf of the Conference of Speakers, countered the IGP’s stance. He argued that the centralised police system has failed to meet Nigeria’s growing security challenges.
“We know exactly where the shoe pinches in our states. This call for state police is not political; it’s strategic and long overdue,” Ogundoyin said.
He advocated for a multi-layered policing system similar to other federal models worldwide and stressed the need for legal reforms to address threats such as cybercrime and terrorism more effectively.
The session exposed the deepening divide between federal and state perspectives on security, with the IGP insisting on central command and states demanding local control for improved effectiveness.
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