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Civil society organisations have warned the Federal Government against relying solely on the proposed establishment of state police to address Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, insisting that broader governance and socio-economic reforms are needed to tackle the root causes of violence and crime.
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Africana League and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) made the call during a webinar titled “Insecurity and State Policing in Nigeria: The Way Forward,” organised by CAPPA on Tuesday.
The organisations argued that while decentralised policing could improve security responses, it would not succeed unless accompanied by reforms in governance, the justice sector, accountability mechanisms, youth inclusion and economic development.
Executive Director of RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said insecurity in Nigeria extends beyond policing, attributing the crisis to governance failures, poverty, unemployment, corruption, impunity, weak institutions, communal conflicts and political exclusion.
“Police can respond to crime, but they cannot eliminate the structural conditions that produce it. No restructuring of police institutions alone will solve Nigeria’s security crisis,” he said.
Nwanguma acknowledged the potential benefits of state policing but warned that decentralisation could merely replicate existing abuses unless adequate safeguards were put in place.
He called for national standards for recruitment, training and discipline, operational independence from partisan political control, independent civilian oversight, transparent complaints mechanisms, sustainable funding and safeguards against the use of police for electoral intimidation and political repression.
“Without these safeguards, decentralisation may simply transfer abuse from Abuja to the state capitals,” he warned.
Nwanguma also urged the National Assembly to ensure broad stakeholder engagement in the ongoing constitutional amendment process on state policing, stressing that civil society organisations, professional bodies, traditional institutions, women, youths, labour groups and security experts should be actively involved.
Also speaking, Executive Director of Africana League, Dr. Glory Ukwenga, said any new policing framework must deliberately accommodate young people, who she described as both major victims and key stakeholders in addressing insecurity.
She noted that although youths account for more than 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population, they remain largely excluded from discussions on state policing.
Ukwenga advocated youth representation on state police service commissions and police community relations committees, as well as the establishment of youth advisory councils on security, structured consultations with youth organisations and youth participation in policing oversight.
She also recommended youth-focused recruitment programmes, civic education on security governance and digital platforms that would enable young people to report security concerns and contribute to policy development.
CAPPA Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said discussions on state police should focus not only on creating new policing structures but also on the type of policing system Nigeria intends to build.
“The fundamental issue is the philosophy behind the kind of policing we want to have in Nigeria. Do we want a police service that communities can relate with? Or do we just want to instil fear so that the elites and those in authority can exert violence on the people?” he asked.
Oluwafemi maintained that policing should be rooted in respect for human rights, accountability and community participation rather than intimidation.
He also linked Nigeria’s security challenges to the poor state of public services, including inadequate access to education, potable water, electricity, good roads and employment opportunities.
According to him, constitutional reforms on state policing should not be rushed because of the country’s current security challenges, urging policymakers to address institutional weaknesses before creating new security structures.
The speakers unanimously agreed that Nigeria’s security crisis requires a comprehensive approach that goes beyond establishing additional police formations, insisting that any policing reform should strengthen democracy, uphold the rule of law and build professional, accountable and rights-respecting security institutions trusted by citizens.
