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By Okechukwu Nwanguma
At a time when the debate over the establishment of state police has resurfaced with renewed urgency, it is useful to revisit some insights shared by Professor Etannibi Alemika at a Stakeholders’ Roundtable on State Police organised by the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre Rulaac (RULAAC) in Abuja in 2024.
In his presentation titled “Decentralisation, Democratisation and Police Effectiveness: State Police or What?”, Professor Alemika offered a thoughtful caution against simplistic assumptions that the creation of state police would automatically resolve Nigeria’s deepening insecurity.
*The Allure of State Police – and the Lure of a Police State*
According to Professor Alemika, the establishment of state police is often promoted as a pathway to improved security, strengthened federalism, and more effective policing. While decentralised policing can potentially contribute to these goals, he argued that it cannot guarantee them.
Security, he emphasised, depends fundamentally on the quality of a country’s economic, political, and social democracy, not merely on the number of police forces operating within it.
If the proliferation of security agencies alone guaranteed safety, the United States – which operates one of the most decentralised policing systems in the world – would be free from significant insecurity. Yet the country continues to grapple with serious levels of violent crime and mass incarceration.
Nigeria, therefore, must approach the debate with realism. Multi-layered federal and sub-national police systems can work only when anchored on strong democratic oversight that ensures police services remain accountable, responsive, and respectful of citizens’ rights.
Reforming the Existing Police Structure
Professor Alemika also noted that improvements in policing could be achieved even within the existing structure of the Nigeria Police Force.
For instance, the Force Headquarters could devolve greater administrative, operational, and financial authority to field commands. A significant proportion of junior officers could also be deployed to their states of origin to strengthen community familiarity and trust.
Additionally, security governance could be strengthened through the establishment of State Security Boards and Local Government Security Forums that include representatives from various sectors of society.
Such reforms could improve police responsiveness without necessarily waiting for constitutional amendments.
*The Need for a More Rigorous Debate*
Alemika stressed that the debate on state police must be more rigorous and stripped of ethnic suspicions and political calculations aimed at controlling instruments of coercion at the state level.
The key question should not simply be whether Nigeria should have state police, but what model of decentralised policing best suits Nigeria’s federal structure and democratic aspirations.
One option could be local government policing with state-level oversight, similar to how local government service commissions operate. Another possibility is the creation of state police forces with federal oversight, comparable to the supervisory role exercised by the National Judicial Council over courts.
Whichever model is adopted, the Constitution should establish minimum national standards governing recruitment, training, command structures, and accountability mechanisms. State laws could then regulate operational matters such as conditions of service.
*Safeguards and Regulation of Arms*
Professor Alemika also proposed safeguards to prevent the militarisation of sub-national police forces. The Constitution, he suggested, should specify maximum permissible weapon calibres for state or local police forces, lower than those used by the Nigeria Police Force.
Federal authorisation should be required for the acquisition of firearms and ammunition, while states should be free to procure non-lethal equipment such as surveillance devices and protective gear.
*Addressing the Root Causes of Insecurity*
Perhaps most importantly, Professor Alemika emphasised that sustainable security cannot be achieved through policing alone. Crime and violence often arise from deeper structural problems including poverty, unemployment, inequality, and political exclusion. Addressing these conditions requires investment in social welfare, economic opportunity, and inclusive governance.
Ironically, many of these responsibilities are already articulated in Chapter II of the Nigerian Constitution, which outlines the state’s duty to promote social justice and economic welfare. Unfortunately, these provisions are frequently observed more in breach than in compliance.
Civil society organisations, Alemika argued, must intensify advocacy for governments to fulfil these constitutional obligations.
*The Risk of Expanding State-Level Authoritarianism*
Alemika also warned about the political realities of governance at the state level in Nigeria.
In many states, governors exercise overwhelming influence over the executive branch and exert considerable control over the legislature, judiciary, local governments, and state electoral commissions. In such circumstances, introducing state police without strong safeguards could dangerously expand the coercive powers of governors.
Without appropriate checks and balances, state police could shrink civic space and transform democratic governance into what he described as a “police state.”
*Guarding Against Abuse*
To minimise these risks, Alemika recommended several institutional safeguards, including:
– Federal regulatory oversight of state police forces
– Genuine autonomy for local governments
– Financial and operational independence for state legislatures and judiciaries
– Robust civilian oversight mechanisms
Without these protections, decentralised policing could deepen authoritarian tendencies rather than strengthen democratic security governance.
*Beyond the Proliferation of Police Forces*
Ultimately, Professor Alemika’s intervention reminds us that the solution to Nigeria’s insecurity lies not in simply multiplying police forces but in strengthening democratic governance and improving citizens’ social and economic security.
Investing in health, education, housing, and employment opportunities may ultimately do more to prevent crime and violence than expanding the number of armed security agencies.
As the debate on state police gathers momentum, Nigeria must ensure that reforms are guided not by desperation or political expediency, but by careful reflection, democratic safeguards, and a commitment to justice and accountability.
Only then can policing reforms genuinely enhance security while protecting the freedoms of the citizens they are meant to serve.
