State police reforms gain renewed support as security experts urge urgent action against rising insecurity in Nigeria

Security experts, legal practitioners and senior police officers have called for urgent constitutional reforms to establish state police as Nigeria battles worsening insecurity across the country.

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The demand was made during a one-day roundtable on constitutional state policing held at University of Ibadan and coordinated by Professor Benjamin Aluko of the TETFund Centre of Excellence in Security Management alongside Dr Seye Oyeleye of the DAWN Commission at Cocoa House.

Participants at the event examined the opportunities, risks and implementation strategies surrounding state policing, warning that terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and communal violence now require immediate action rather than prolonged policy debates.

In his opening remarks, Professor Benjamin Aluko said the gathering was organised to generate practical recommendations capable of guiding implementation without endangering Nigeria’s democracy or national unity.

“We are here to generate ideas for implementation, knowing that a badly executed state police structure could threaten our democracy and peace.

Recommendations from this engagement will be forwarded to Southwest governors,” he said.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mothergold Limited and Mothergold Consulting, Adesina Fagbenro-Byron, described the nation’s security situation as alarming, warning that violent crimes once concentrated in Northern Nigeria were increasingly spreading into southern states.

“This is no longer optional; it is a national necessity,” he stated.

Fagbenro-Byron criticised the proposed 60-month implementation timeline for state policing earlier suggested by the Inspector-General of Police, arguing that the country could not afford delays.

“Threats do not wait. We need a 12-month rollout plan that includes constitutional amendments, pioneer training programmes and pilot implementation in prepared states, especially in the South-West,” he added.

The call for state police reforms has continued to gain momentum as communities across Nigeria struggle with rising insecurity and pressure on existing federal policing structures.

Fagbenro-Byron also warned against the politicisation of decentralised policing, stressing that institutional safeguards would be essential to prevent abuse by state governments.

According to him, independent police commissions, merit-based recruitment and technology-driven policing systems would be critical to ensuring accountability and operational efficiency.

“We must avoid decentralising dysfunction,” he warned while advocating a phased implementation process focused on legal reforms, personnel training and public trust-building.

Former Oyo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mutalubi Adebayo, noted that Nigeria previously operated native and border policing systems before they were abolished.

He argued that state police could effectively complement the federal police system if backed by constitutional amendments.

“Governors alone cannot implement it without constitutional backing,” he said.

Former Lagos State Commissioner of Police and former Security Adviser to the Oyo State Governor, Fatai Owoseni, dismissed claims that policing operations are entirely directed from Abuja.

“Commissioners of Police already exercise operational discretion. I served in Lagos and Benue without constantly seeking directives from Abuja,” Owoseni stated.

He identified poor funding, institutional weaknesses within the Police Council and ethnic distrust as some of the major barriers to effective policing nationwide.

Owoseni also referenced regional security initiatives such as Amotekun and community policing constabularies as partial solutions requiring stronger institutional support.

Moderating the session, Professor I.O. Albert argued that police personnel themselves are victims of deeper systemic problems within the country’s security architecture.

“The police are victims too; the system itself is the problem,” he remarked.

In his closing remarks, Assistant Inspector-General of Police Adeoye Olafimihan called for stronger cooperation between citizens and law enforcement agencies to improve security across Nigeria.