About 15 years ago, I posted an article on Facebook about the urgent need for Nigeria to create a three-tier policing system to make the country safer for all citizens, from the city to the village.
While local policing was one of Asiwaju’s strong campaign promises in the last general elections, it has yet to receive serious attention two and a half years into his presidency. Yet, we all know that one of the clearest indicators of Nigeria’s overcentralized security system is the relentless spread of insurgency and banditry across the country.
From Boko Haram in the North East to armed bandits in the North West, and kidnapping rings in the Middle Belt and the South, the inability of the Nigerian Police Force and other federal agencies to respond swiftly and intelligently has exposed the limits of a one-size-fits-all security model.
Had Nigeria adopted a local policing structure, the story could have been different. Local police officers, recruited from the communities they serve, possess intimate knowledge of their environment, including the footpaths, markets, forests, and social networks that outsiders can hardly navigate. This community intelligence would have enabled early detection of strange movements, suspicious gatherings, and illegal camps long before they grew into full-blown insurgent cells.
Local police would also have been better positioned to build trust with residents, encouraging civilians to share timely information without fear of reprisal. In contrast, citizens are often reluctant to report to federal security operatives they perceive as strangers or occupiers. Trust, not firepower, is the foundation of effective counterinsurgency.
Furthermore, a functioning local police system could have helped cut off recruitment pipelines. Many young men who joined insurgent and bandit groups did so out of joblessness or alienation. Locally based police, supported by community leaders, could have combined law enforcement with social interventions such as youth engagement, vocational referral, and conflict mediation, thereby reducing the pool of potential recruits.
Finally, local policing would have ensured quicker response times. In many attacks across northern Nigeria, help arrives hours or even days late because approval must travel through a long federal chain of command. Empowered local commands could have mounted immediate defense and coordination, saving countless lives.
The lesson is clear: no nation wins a community-based war with a centrally controlled force. Until Nigeria brings policing closer to the people, insurgency and banditry will continue to find space to grow in the gaps between Abuja and the grassroots.
By Omololu Nick Apata, Vocational Educator and Skills Development Advocate
