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By Goli Innocent
The Federal Government has declared that Nigeria is ready for state police, reaffirming its commitment to decentralised policing once the necessary constitutional amendments are secured.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is determined to see the reform through as soon as enabling legislation is passed by the National Assembly of Nigeria.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the Centre for Crisis Communication, led by Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade (retd.), Idris said decentralised policing had become imperative in tackling Nigeria’s evolving security challenges. “It is the desire of President Bola Tinubu to ensure that we have state police as soon as it is practicable in this country. The time has indeed come for that,” he said.
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He added that the President had already appealed to the National Assembly to enact the appropriate legislation to pave the way for state police, stressing that security reform must go hand-in-hand with improved national communication systems. “In today’s digital age, crises are no longer only defined by events, but also by how information spreads as fast as it does. Digital innovation is therefore central to timely, accurate and coordinated communication, especially during moments of national importance,” Idris stated.
Backing the proposal, the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN), said Nigeria’s centralised policing structure can no longer contain rising insecurity. “You will agree with me that the incidents that have increased the level of insecurity in Nigeria today… are largely local crimes occurring in different communities,” he said.
“These local crimes have festered because of the inadequacy of the Nigerian Police Force to check them. A single federal police system cannot adequately respond to security needs across the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, and the various local government areas,” Pedro added.
While acknowledging fears that governors might abuse state police for political purposes, Pedro argued that safeguards can address such concerns. “This concern is genuine; however, it is not enough to justify rejection of state police in Nigeria today,” he said, urging constitutional amendments to provide clear operational guidelines and prevent misuse.
