State Police: Kaduna, Kano, Katsina residents speak

By NAN Reporters

In Nigeria, the call for state police grows louder each passing day with the debate raging on whether or not the country should decentralise its policing system to tackle rising security challenges.

Its proponents argue that state police would be more effective in addressing local issues, while critics voice concerns about potential misuse of power.

The Nigeria Police Force currently operates under the federal government, but the push for state police is gaining momentum.

As the debate continues, one question remains: can Nigeria find a balance between effective policing and protecting individual rights.

As the future of Nigeria’s security hangs in the balance, residents, experts and other critical stakeholders in Kaduna, Kano and Katsina States have expressed divergent views on this all-important issue.

In Kaduna, Mr Edward Pama, a Historian and Public Affairs Analyst based in Kaduna said Nigeria stood at a critical crossroads as years of terrorism, banditry, kidnappings, and other criminal activities across the country demand urgent and decisive action.

He said: “In spite of efforts by successive administrations to curb these security challenges, the desired results have remained elusive.

“Vast and poorly monitored forest regions, an acute shortage of security personnel, and the failure to effectively integrate modern technology into surveillance and intelligence-gathering systems have combined to create extensive ungoverned spaces.

“These gaps continue to be exploited by bandits and other criminal elements and to reverse this troubling trend, the nation must seriously consider the creation of state police.

“Beyond its potential to immediately expand the security workforce and increase boots on the ground across ungoverned areas, state policing would significantly enhance intelligence gathering and enable the early detection and containment of local threats before they fully materialise.

“Additionally, it would create hundreds of thousands of jobs, engage young people productively, empower families and communities, and ultimately contribute to a substantial reduction in crime rates.”

Pama, however, stated that concerns persist about the possible misuse of state police by Nigerian Governors.

He added that critics fear that state police could be weaponised to suppress free speech or used as a tool for political witch-hunts.

“While these concerns are legitimate and should not be dismissed lightly, they do not outweigh the overwhelming benefits of establishing state police.

“Importantly, safeguards can be instituted to prevent abuse.

“For instance, the authority to appoint or remove the leadership of state police can be removed from the exclusive control of governors, ensuring accountability to the people rather than to political interests,” he said.

The expert said an independent oversight board or council comprising respected religious leaders, traditional and community leaders, youths and women representatives, and members of reputable civil society organisations can be entrusted with supervising the operations of the state police.

Such a framework, according to Pama would significantly allay public fears while allowing the institution to evolve into an effective, transparent, and people-centred security system that serves the public interest, not partisan agendas.

In Kano, Dr Abubakar Salihu of the Department of Public Administration, Bayero University Kano, says state Police will decisively tackle banditry, insurgency, and communal violence which had stretched federal security agencies thin, making the necessity of state police even more compelling.

Salihu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Nigeria’s rapidly growing population “had far outpaced the capacity of the Federal Government to recruit, deploy, and sustain sufficient security personnel nationwide.”

He explained that state police would bridge this gap by ensuring better coverage of the underserved and rural areas.

“Officers recruited from within their communities possess cultural understanding, local intelligence, and social networks that are critical for early threat detection and crime prevention,” he said.

According to him, while concerns that state police could be misused for political oppression were valid, they are not insurmountable.

Salihu said, “With clear constitutional safeguards, independent oversight mechanisms, and professional standards, state police can be insulated from partisan abuse.

“Ultimately, decentralised policing is not about weakening the federation but strengthening it.

“In a country as populous and security challenged as Nigeria, state police are not merely desirable; they are a practical necessity for restoring safety, public confidence, and social order,” he added.

In Katsina, stakeholders on security have expressed fear that State Police might be used by some state governments to satisfy their interests instead of allowing them to serve the purpose they were established for.

They stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Katsina in their contributions to the raging national debate on state police.

The stakeholders interviewed, comprised of legal practitioners and retired security personnel.

Mr Magaji Liman, said that certain procedures must be followed before the establishment of state police.

He urged that there must be an Act that would be passed by at least two-third majority in all the State Houses of Assemblies across the country, after which, a public hearing would be conducted.

“After the establishment of the state police, they should not be given powers to prosecution. To me, that should be left to the Federal Police alone.

“That is because some politicians might use them to satisfy their interests especially during elections, which is wrong.

“Every citizen should be allowed to elect candidates of his choice,” he stressed.

Liman further explained that the powers of both Federal and the state police should be spelt out clearly, otherwise, there might be conflicts.

According to him, the proposed state police must also be well trained on their operations to enable them serve effectively.

In his contribution, retired Maj. Muhammad Bashir-Galma, said that it would be dangerous to train the state police and send them to the forests where bandits and other terrorists were operating.

“What are they going to do that the military personnel failed to do?

“To me, the only obstacle is lack of political will from the park of the leaders.

“If there is a political will, there will be no need for clamour for the state police. So, its creation will only add financial burden to the states.

“We have seen instances where some of them can’t pay salaries and other entitlements of workers in their states,” he alleged.

He explained that solution to the current security challenges in the country would be “political will” from the governments, and allowing the security agencies to recruit only qualified candidates.

“Otherwise, you will keep on recruiting bad people or lazy people who will run from the warfare and come back to depend on those politicians,” he said.

Others, he said, bordered on the need for the public to intensify efforts in providing credible intelligence to the security agencies.

“Human intelligence is more accurate and authentic than the electronic intelligence.

“So, people should be educated on the importance of cooperating with the security personnel because security is a work of everyone,” he said.

The expert also advised that the Commander-in-Chief should be listening to the views of the security personnel, improve their welfare and intensify efforts in providing them with modern equipment and training.