Nigeria stands at a critical crossroads in its quest for national security and stability. The threats facing the nation grow more complex each day, yet our policing architecture remains stuck in a distant past. What we urgently need is not another committee report or another cycle of debates. What Nigeria needs, now more than ever, is a bold and historic decision. That decision is the establishment of a properly regulated and professionally structured state police system.
For decades, the Nigerian Police Force has operated under immense pressure with limited tools and outdated training models. Although many officers serve with dedication, they do so within a system that has not kept pace with the demands of modern policing. Crude methods often replace scientific investigation. Technology is underutilised, and most police stations lack the facilities required for effective service. Beyond the DPO’s office, many stations are neither comfortable nor functional enough for proper case management or meaningful public interaction.
If we truly want a 21st century police force, we must rebuild from the ground up. Training must align with global best practices. Welfare must become a cornerstone and not an afterthought. This should include competitive salaries, functional allowances, insurance coverage and decent accommodation outside the dilapidating barracks. A motivated officer is a professional officer.
As the Federal Government begins the process of creating the legal framework for state police, clarity and responsibility must guide eligibility. Any state that has owed civil servants even one month of salary within the last five years should not be permitted to run a police force until it proves its capacity to sustain one. A government that cannot pay its workers cannot be expected to manage the welfare of police personnel who are entrusted with citizens’ safety.
However, establishing state police must come with firm constitutional safeguards. No governor should be allowed to weaponize the police for political vendetta, intimidation or personal interests. The unfortunate confrontation between factions loyal to various political leaders at the PDP Secretariat should serve as a warning. If such political tensions occur between federal and state police commands without clear boundaries, the consequences could be disastrous.
To avoid fragmentation and unhealthy rivalry, Nigeria must create a harmonised federal and state policing framework with complementary roles and responsibilities. Federal and state police must share intelligence, maintain unified standards and work in synergy to protect lives and property. They must not compete for authority.
Today, the federal police are overwhelmed. With growing insecurity including kidnappings, banditry, terrorism, cultism and widespread community violence, the current centralised system can no longer cope. Our military, whose constitutional mandate is to defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity, is now forced into internal security duties simply because the police structure is overstretched. This is neither sustainable nor ideal.
Mr President, this is a moment for statesmanship. The move to establish state police, properly regulated, well funded and shielded from political misuse, will be remembered as one of the most important reforms of your administration. This is not just a policy choice. It is a legacy defining decision.
Nigeria is in urgent need of a security renaissance. State police, implemented with discipline and equity, offer a credible path forward. This is the time to take the bull by the horn, act decisively and prevent a total collapse of our internal security framework.
The nation is watching. The world is watching. And Nigerians, under siege by criminals, are pleading for leadership that can secure their tomorrow.
Now is the time for action. Now is the time for courage. Now is the time for state police.
