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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Some governors and senators have expressed fear and doubt over the funding of state police, abuse of the system, constitutional requirements and the tenure of police chiefs.
The governors, who spoke separately at the Thisday/Arise Television town hall meeting on Building a National Consensus for State Police and National Security, yesterday in Abuja, yesterday, included Chukwuma Soludo (Anambra), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Abiodun Dapo (Ogun), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), and Caleb Muftwang (Plateau).
Other panelists included the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu; Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa; Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele; Senators Adams Oshiomole, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and former Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor.
This is even as Kalu insisted that the National Assembly would speed up the process for the assent of President Bola Tinubu.
Governor Dapo stated that most states are not financially buoyant to chest the responsibility because of the low Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and federal allocation. “But we all know that different states have different capacities to generate IGR. There is a discrepancy. I mean, look at a state like Ogun State; it is the fastest growing economy in this country by any standard.
“We are the industrial capital of this country by any measure. And yet, if you look at what we get in terms of FAAC we are probably at the bottom.
“So, these issues have to be addressed so that we can ensure that every state can adequately provide for their state police. And we do not have a situation where one state has the capacity to, and the other state, of course, does not have the capacity to.
“Again, the issues that have been raised by Senator Akpoti are issues of governance and issues of abuse.
“So we need to look at how to ensure that we have an independent police complaints commission, even at the various state levels.
“I am aware that part of our discussions have included ensuring that we have the participation of not just the governors, but also the legislative heads, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the state president, in the new police council that the President will be chairing.
“And also the fact that the tenures of the police commissioners will be one term. And those one term will ensure that one police commissioner has not become so domesticated and is beholden to a particular governor to the point where he can be abused, used to abuse the citizens like she had, of course, alleged.
“So on that note, I believe that these sort of town hall meetings and engagements are extremely important.”
Mbah presses for financial autonomy, investment in tech
Governor Mbah called for financial autonomy and investment in modern security infrastructure for state police services when created, stressing the need for any legal framework for state police to take into account the need for national standards, national support, local capability and local decision-making.
He emphasised that prioritising security through adequate funding for state police services and investment in technology would enable those responsible for security at the subnational level to deliver the expected outcomes.
“The importance of funding the state police system effectively cannot be overemphasised. And having a State Police Service Commission that has a first-line charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund is in order.
“Many other institutions in the states – the judiciary and the legislature – have the first-line charge. The key thing is providing enough funding to be able to sustain the state policing system,” he said.
Sharing the Enugu State experience on the importance of prioritising security, he recalled that at the inception of his administration in 2023, the state was under siege, with nightlife gone, some areas even in the state capital barricaded, Mondays gone, while many students lost an entire academic year, as they could not sit important final-year examinations due to the illegal sit-at-home orders.
“If the Enugu experience is anything to go by, we came into office recognising that we had made commitments to eradicate poverty, to grow the economy exponentially, to make Enugu State the preferred destination for business, living, and investment.
“We immediately recognised that if we didn’t address the security challenges, we could not achieve those objectives. Therefore, we had to invest hugely in technology, in building a Safe City Surveillance System with CCTV cameras that are AI-enabled, as well as having both static and mobile cameras. All these come with huge costs.
“But the human element is also important, which is essentially why we had to set up the Distress Response Squad (DRS). As a governor, you want immediate action because matters of security are measured in minutes. You must be in a position where you are able to act swiftly.
“So, you must build the capability to first nip crime in the bud. But where there has been a breach, you must have the capacity to act swiftly. And if the Enugu experience is anything to go by, that essentially is what we did that enabled us to drive down violent crime by over 90 per cent.
“Therefore, when you talk about funding, you can see that the states are already carrying quite a huge burden in terms of funding, because you are investing in technology.
“We also ensured that there is a unified communication system between the agencies. Our Command and Control Centre houses all the security agencies in the state – the police, the army, and the Department of State Services. They all have a channel of communication,” he stated.
Governor Mbah also called for a constitutional provision that guarantees state police while preserving the details for an Act of the National Assembly to allow for amendments in the future without going through the rigours of constitutional amendment.
“So, in amending the Constitution, we must, by all means, make sure that it is not verbose. There should be a provision that allows us to reform the system in future, if needed, when we have tried it.”
Mbah also stressed the need to focus on operational authority for state police rather than on watering down the powers of governors, who would be in office for a maximum of eight years only.
“By the way, there is this idea that governors are likely to abuse state police and that we should, therefore, do as much as we can to water down their powers.
“Nobody is a governor forever. We are also going to one day leave that office and become regular citizens. We just want to be sure that there is enough operational authority given to the governors so that you do not give someone a performance target without providing him or her with the control needed to achieve the required outcome,” he concluded.
Soludo seeks restructuring, judicial reforms
Governor Soludo called for comprehensive restructuring of Nigeria’s federal system, saying the debate on state police should extend beyond security to include fiscal and judicial reforms.
He described the growing support for state police as an inevitable step toward a more effective federal system and argued that the debate had moved beyond whether Nigeria should establish state police, stressing that attention should now focus on the modalities for implementing the initiative.
The governor said his administration’s experience in Anambra had shown the need for effective collaboration among federal, state and private security agencies.
He added that security reforms should be complemented by broader constitutional changes.
Soludo also decried what he described as the fiscal imbalance between the Federal Government and the states.
“More responsibilities have been transferred to states without a corresponding review of the revenue allocation formula.
“The federal government currently retains about 53 per cent of national revenue, while the 36 states share about 26 per cent, averaging less than one per cent per state.
“I’m advocating a leaner federal government with a maximum of 40 per cent share of national revenue, while more resources should be devolved to states to enable them to effectively discharge their constitutional responsibilities,” he said.
The governor also called for reforms in the nation’s judicial system, describing it as a major obstacle to true federalism.
He noted that in spite of moves toward decentralised security, the judiciary remained largely unitary, resulting in prolonged litigation that often lasted for decades.
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Soludo said that in Anambra, about 70 per cent of court cases, including those involving violence, were land-related and frequently ended at the Supreme Court after 30 years to 40 years.
He, therefore, advocated the establishment of State Courts of Appeal and State Supreme Courts to align the judiciary with the country’s federal structure.
The governor commended President Bola Tinubu for advancing discussions on federalism and expressed optimism that ongoing reforms would strengthen Nigeria’s federal system.
He said initiatives such as moves by states to establish correctional facilities reflected the growing momentum toward deeper constitutional and institutional reforms.
Soludo urged stakeholders to sustain discussions on restructuring, saying comprehensive reforms were necessary to promote constitutional balance, effective governance and economic viability for the states.
Muftwang: Canvases robust takeoff
Governor Muftwang added that the takeoff must be robust, states must consolidate and work together and funding must be adequate.
“What we are going to have is a consideration of three principles. One is a robust takeoff. Second, states must be solid. And thirdly, we must also look at funding from the perspective of sustainability.
“If we allow it to be subjected to the regular financing mechanism of institutions in Nigeria, then we are going to have a lot of fits and falls that will not be good for the system.
“And you mentioned the issue of trust. It is when institutions do their jobs well that the citizenry will trust them. When they do not do it well, then there is a breach of confidence.
“We must do all we can. All hands must be on deck to ensure that we build a state police institution that guarantees the basic rights of the people, protects lives and property, and ensures that it is a citizen’s police and not a police for the elites and the leaders,” he said.
Earlier, Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomole, recalled how his personal assistant was killed and the police presented a different report from that of the Department of State Services (DSS), noting that most states would abuse the system.
He warned that it would be dangerous for state police to thrive without fiscal autonomy, institutional maturity and independent oversight.
“We must stop discussing complex national security issues with emotional romanticism. We must look at the hard, cold facts on the ground. The most fundamental rule of security is this: a hungry man with a gun is not a security officer; he is a security risk.
“If a sitting governor cannot allow a free and fair election at the local government level, how can anyone convince me that during a general election, that same governor will not deploy the state police to lock up opposition candidates, intimidate journalists, and teargas peaceful protesters?” he asked.
Natasha warns against abuse
Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has cautioned against the possible abuse of state police by governors, insisting that any constitutional framework establishing state policing must contain strong safeguards to prevent political intimidation and protect citizens’ rights.
Natasha admonished that decentralising policing should not create another layer of political control capable of undermining democracy and the rule of law.
She warned that without constitutional safeguards and institutional independence, state police could become a tool for victimising political opponents and intimidating ordinary citizens.
“State police should never become an instrument of political oppression or executive intimidation. We must build a policing system that serves the people, protects democracy and remains accountable to the rule of law.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan argued that beyond constitutional provisions, sustainable funding would determine the success or failure of any state police structure.
She said the Federal Government must develop a transparent and sustainable funding mechanism to guarantee operational efficiency, intelligence gathering, personnel welfare, training and modern security infrastructure across the states.
“Funding is one of the most important aspects the Federal Government must address. Without adequate and sustainable financing, state police will struggle to deliver on their constitutional responsibilities.”
The senator also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for measures taken to strengthen national security, while praising the Inspector-General of Police for what she described as prompt responses to emerging security challenges across the country.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan said she had always advocated a decentralised police system, but expressed worry that state governors would abuse the system.
She recalled how she built a police station in her Constituency to reduce criminality and the police hierarchy under the former Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, refused to commission the facility.
According to her she was told to reach out to President Bola Tinubu to intervene, which she refused, until the station was finally commissioned by the present police chief, Olatunji Disu.
According to her, the responsiveness of the police leadership has helped to rebuild public confidence in Nigeria’s security architecture.
“I commend Mr President and the current Inspector-General of Police for their prompt responses and decisive actions on security issues. Such responsiveness strengthens public confidence and reinforces our collective commitment to securing Nigeria,” she added.
Odinkalu challenges govs on funding
Piqued by the attention the state police discussion is getting, human rights lawyer, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, challenged the governors to provide details of funding for the judiciary.
He also questioned the timing of the debate, given that the next general election is commencing next year.
“These are governors who have never funded their ministries of justice. Now, they will put money to give to the police because it is used for rigging elections.
“They will not fund the ministries of justice, which are essential for putting away criminals who endanger Nigerians.”
Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, submitted that all hands must be on deck to reform the police system.
“It must not be religious-based. It must not be for the elites. That is very critical. And I want to encourage that we must have a phased implementation, probably starting with the state capitals, where we can see so that we understand what are the dynamics, what are the ups and downs before we go into full implementation.
“And why is that so? We will be able to understand ourselves and be able to go through it and to assist. The federal police are doing extremely well, considering the circumstances they are operating in.
“If we do not address these aspects, why they are not doing it well, they didn’t give up to 80 per cent, 90 per cent. And we are bringing state police. With the same issues, the same challenges on ground, we’re not going anywhere.
“As communities in line, there must be justice, fairness and equity in everything that we do. We must look after the weak. They must have trust in our governance if we want those changes to happen.
“So like I said, it’s not a silver bullet. There are things that we need to put in place. We must help the police to be able to achieve these things together and ensure that if we do this implementation gradually, we’ll be able to get.
“But the important thing is, Nigerians must believe in their country. You cannot continue to insult your country and think the country will be better. You cannot continue to insult your leader.”
