From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu said the current security challenges require collaborative efforts by security agencies and other stakeholders to surmount.
He spoke at the Legislative Dialogue organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review, in collaboration with the office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), yesterday, in Abuja.
Tinubu, who was represented by the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, said the security dialogue was imperative, owing to evolving security challenges and the need to align the Constitution with present realities.
He explained that the Federal Government’s integrated security strategy, which is characterised by intelligence fusion, joint task force operations, has yielded significant results in different parts of the country.
He said: “The time has come to align Nigeria’s security architecture with some vital life realities. Our national experience has shown that neither centralisation nor fragmentation alone can secure the vast and diverse territory of Nigeria.
“The growing agitation for state police, the complex demand of cybercrime, cyber security, and the urgent need for efficient, intelligent sharing among agencies all point to one truth- our constitutional framework must evolve or risk becoming a danger to the very unity it was made to protect.
“Security in the 21st century is cooperative and non-competitive. Terrorism in the North East, banditry in the North West, piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, farmer-headers’ crashes in the Middle-Belt, and separatist agitation in the South East all share one characteristic -they transcend the capacity of any single agency.
“This is why this dialogue is timely. It offers an opportunity to entrench constitutional provision that encourages real-time intelligence, joint operations planning and unified strategic response. The commander-in-chief of our armed forces has emphasised, repeatedly, that security agencies must act as one, united in purpose and in action.”
The speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, while declaring the event open, stated that the dialogue was intended to deepen discourse on how best to achieve comprehensive security reforms.
Abbas said, “Community involvement is also key to making our country safer. Security is not just the job of the military or the police; it is the collective responsibility of all Nigerians. Therefore, our reforms must reflect the voices of everyday Nigerians, and this justifies the importance of this dialogue. I am confident that the outcomes of this dialogue will meet our collective expectations.
“We look forward to receiving comprehensive recommendations on the proposed bills seeking to strengthen our security architecture, a collaborative framework for inter-agency synergy, and a roadmap for enhancing border security and regional stability”.
Similarly, the deputy speaker, who is also the chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, Benjamin Kalu, in his opening remarks, said the dialogue was to get the direct input of stakeholders in the security sector in security oriented bills, in the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“Over the years, laws have been crafted on various aspects of national life, including security governance, often without a proper diagnosis of the real gaps and challenges as experienced by those on the frontline.
“This dialogue is designed to be that diagnostic process. We are here to listen to you; those who wear the shoes know exactly where it pinches. Whether the issues are rooted in inter-agency harmonisation, command authority, intelligence coordination, or other critical aspects, your insights are indispensable”, Kalu said.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the country must be anticipatory in the review of the Constitution and acts establishing the various security agencies, so as to come up with legislations that will proffer solutions to emerging threats.
Tunji-Ojo also charged the government with the need for more measures to secure the country’s borders, as well as put in place structures to tackle cyber crimes.
He said, “When you look at some of these laws, it is like we set up agencies to fail. If you look at the 2025 budget, how much do you set for border security? The capital budget is less than N10 billion and you want to protect 4024square km of our border space. Are we joking?”
He added, “There is a lot we need to do. If we continue to pay lip service, we don’t really look at the issues on ground, we will just be joking. Again, in reviewing our laws, we can’t deal with insecurity and not talk of terrorism financing. We must look at the EFCC Act.
“The attention we are paying to cyber security, we are still living 20 years behind. You cannot continue to run cyber security architecture on an ad hoc arrangement. There must be a proper security framework. Let us anticipate broadly. Look ahead. Look at emerging security threats and proffer solutions to them.”
Similarly, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, said a forward-looking constitution is essential for fostering national unity and addressing the root causes of insecurity.
“The Constitution must evolve to reflect the hopes and challenges of Nigerians. Addressing grievances, protecting rights, and fostering trust between citizens and the state are all constitutional imperatives. As we deliberate today, let us remember that constitutional reform is not just about structure—it’s about the survival, stability, and sovereignty of our Republic,” Ribadu said.
Also, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, called for urgent legal and constitutional reforms to address emerging threats like cyber warfare, hybrid threats, and insurgency.
Musa, who was represented by Rear Admiral Ibrahim Aliyu Shettima, proposed the amendment of the Armed Forces Act and relevant constitutional provisions to provide for the establishment of field and standing court martials in all military commands, as well as recognising court-martial as superior courts of record, amongst others.
He posited that “security is not just about military hardware; it’s about legal clarity, institutional strength, and public trust.”
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, kicked against the proposed legislation for establishment of state police, saying the country is not ripe for decentralised policing.
Egbetokun, who was represented by the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Legal Department, Ohiozoba Oyakhire, canvassed for legislative reforms that will enhance the capacity of the federal police.
He said: “Let me state, unequivocally, that the Nigeria Police Force acknowledges the rationale behind the demand for state police, including the desire for locally responsive policing and decentralised law enforcement.
“However, our assessment based on current political, institutional, and socio economic reality, suggests that Nigeria is not yet institutionally and politically prepared for decentralisation of police power to the state level.
“These concerns include the possibility of political misuse of police power at the state level, lack of funding capacity by most to maintain and keep a state controlled force, the potential for fragmentation of national security intelligence and command, the absence of a regulatory architecture to ensure standard and operational cohesion.”
The IGP stated that “instead of fragmenting our police authority, we propose that the focus of constitutional and legislative reforms be directed towards strengthening the Nigeria Police Force through increase funding and autonomy, establish state and community policing frameworks under the Nigeria Police Force supervision, standardising recruitment, training and discipline across any policing function.”
Nonetheless, the Conference of Speaker of State Houses of Assembly, represented by the chairman, Adebo Ogundoyin, said the generality of Nigerians are yearning for state police. Ogundoyin, who is also the speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, argued that while there may be some challenges with the state police, such challenges are not insurmountable.
“This is not a political position. It is a patriotic and strategic imperative. We recognise that concerns have been raised regarding potential abuse. Yes, you can say that. But these are not insurmountable challenges. Because of the present situation of things, we do face challenges. The NPF also faces challenges and the state governments across the federation also support the NPF in their day to day work.
“With constitutional safeguards, clear command structures, legislative clarity, independent oversight mechanism and well defined framework for interagency collaboration, state police can become a force for justice, accountability, and grassroots protection. And this is the voice of sub-national in this federation, whether we like it or not, we have to recognise that the 36 states and the FCT make up Nigeria, and the Nigerians are yearning for state Police,” he stated.