PRESIDENT TINUBU’S STATE POLICE PUSH: WHY REGIONAL FORMATIONS OFFER THE SAFER PATH TO TRUE FEDERALISM
By Chyma Anthony
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has intensified calls for state police as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s fight against escalating insecurity. During an interfaith Iftar with Senate members at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the President explicitly urged the National Assembly to accelerate constitutional amendments
to the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to enable the creation of state police forces. He reiterated this commitment in engagements with governors, emphasizing that decentralization would bring policing closer to the people, reclaim territories from bandits and insurgents, and restore safety for everyday Nigerians.
This push aligns with broader federalism reform efforts in Nigeria, where debates on true fiscal, political, and security devolution have gained momentum. Recent legislative actions—including bills like HB. 617 (Constitution Alteration Bill for Establishment of State Police)—propose amending key sections (e.g., Sections 214, 215) to allow federal and state police coexistence, with frameworks for structure, oversight, and safeguards against abuse. Proponents argue this reflects subsidiarity principles: powers should reside at the level best equipped to exercise them effectively. The Senate has signaled readiness to fast-track such amendments, viewing them as urgent responses to Nigeria’s overstretched centralized Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
Yet, while full state-level policing addresses some federalism imbalances, it risks profound pitfalls in Nigeria’s current socio-political reality—potentially deepening division rather than delivering security.
Why pure state police remains fraught with danger:
- Hyper-fragmentation: 37 disparate forces (36 states + FCT) could create border nightmares—endless checkpoints, extortion, and harassment for travelers.
- Capacity shortfalls: Resource-poor states might produce under-equipped, poorly trained units akin to vigilantes.
- Abuse potential: Governors could weaponize forces for political vendettas, ethnic targeting, or electoral manipulation.
- Standards erosion: Inconsistent policies would undermine national uniformity and accountability.
- Coordination failures: Jurisdictional clashes and intelligence silos could widen security gaps.
- Trust erosion:
- Localized control might exacerbate ethnic or communal suspicions.
These risks echo concerns in ongoing debates, including fears of “decentralized despotism” and historical abuses.
Regional Police: A balanced, realistic bridge to true federalism reform:
Structuring policing around Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones—North West, North East, North Central, South East, South West, and South-South—offers devolution that enhances responsiveness without 37-way chaos. It tailors security to regional crime patterns, cultures, and dynamics while preserving national cohesion.
Global and comparative lessons reinforce regional models:
- Canada, Germany, England and Wales, and India favor provincial/regional/state policing with strong federal oversight for uniformity and resource efficiency.
- South Africa’s hybrid SAPS model—national leadership via the National Commissioner, with Provincial Commissioners managing operations in nine provinces—ensures consistency in a diverse society while allowing regional adaptations. Provincial executives provide input, but central authority curbs abuse and maintains standards.
Nigeria could adapt similar safeguards in its federalism reform.
Nigeria’s vigilante successes—particularly Amotekun—point the way:
Amotekun (South West) has demonstrated regional policing’s potential: launched in 2020, it has reduced kidnappings, banditry, and farmer-herder clashes through local intelligence, rapid response, and community trust. Impacts include dismantling syndicates, victim rescues, cattle impoundments to curb conflicts, thousands of arrests/convictions, and restored rural security in states like Ondo. These gains highlight how zone-level structures leverage grassroots knowledge—yet vigilantes’ limits (training gaps, potential abuses, coordination issues) demand formalization.
Reforming the Police Service Commission (PSC) for accountability:
Any decentralization requires overhauling the PSC (now Nigeria Police Council/Commission structures in proposals). Bills suggest:
- Establishing a National Police Service Commission (replacing/upgrading the current PSC) for federal oversight, national standards in recruitment, promotion, discipline, and bi-annual certification reviews of subnational forces.
- Creating State Police Service Commissions (or regional equivalents) for local appointments/discipline, with governors appointing commissioners on commission recommendation and assembly approval.
- Safeguards like referral mechanisms for unlawful gubernatorial directives and federal certification to prevent ethnic bias or sectional agendas.
These reforms—moving policing to the Concurrent List, direct federal funding, and independent oversight—would institutionalize Amotekun-style strengths while enforcing professionalism and independence.
Proposed regional police framework within federalism reform:
- Six Regional Police Headquarters for zone-specific operations.
- Regional Police Commanders for unified command and federal liaison.
- Sub-units at state/divisional/local levels.
- Direct federal allocations for funding/training, ensuring independence from state governors.
- PSC reforms for national standards, oversight, and abuse prevention.
This approach advances genuine federalism: devolving power thoughtfully, drawing from global hybrids like South Africa, building on Amotekun’s successes, and reforming institutions like the PSC for equity and accountability.
President Tinubu’s bold advocacy for security decentralization is visionary and necessary—but Regional Police, embedded in constitutional and PSC reforms, offers the pragmatic, unifying path. It avoids state-level fragmentation’s perils while delivering responsive, community-rooted security that strengthens Nigeria’s federation rather than straining it.
True reform lies in this measured, evidence-based devolution—securing lives, fostering trust, and realizing equitable federalism for all Nigerians.
By Chyma Anthony, PhD
He holds Doctoral Degree in Security and Strategic Studies, having earned LLB, LLM, BL. He is a Police Reform Expert.
chyma@chymaanthony.com
