Security analysts have renewed calls for the establishment of state police in Nigeria, citing escalating violence in parts of the North as evidence of the limitations of the country’s current centralised policing system.
The call was contained in a communiqué issued after the 46th Annual General Meeting of the Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI), highlighting growing concerns over insecurity in regions such as the North-East and North-West.
According to the experts, Nigeria continues to face multiple security threats, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and communal violence, which have overwhelmed existing security structures.
They noted that the Nigeria Police Force remains overstretched, with approximately 371,800 officers responsible for policing a population exceeding 200 million people.
This, they said, results in a police-to-population ratio of about 1:740—significantly below the United Nations’ recommended standard of 1:450.
The communiqué stressed that the centralised policing system has contributed to delayed responses, limited local intelligence gathering, and operational inefficiencies.
It also pointed out that despite being designated as Chief Security Officers, state governors lack direct control over police operations within their jurisdictions.
The experts further observed that the frequent deployment of military personnel for internal security duties has placed additional strain on the Armed Forces, highlighting the need for a more sustainable approach.
Key challenges affecting policing effectiveness were identified as inadequate funding, poor logistics, weak intelligence systems, corruption, and low public trust.
While acknowledging concerns that state police could be misused for political purposes, the experts argued that such risks can be mitigated through strong legal safeguards, oversight mechanisms, and clearly defined operational guidelines.
They proposed a hybrid policing framework that combines state police and community policing, while retaining the Nigeria Police Force as a central coordinating body.
The communiqué also recommended constitutional amendments to move policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List, allowing both federal and state governments to play active roles.
According to the experts, such reforms would improve response times, enhance intelligence gathering, and strengthen community trust in security agencies.
