A growing debate over the proposed creation of state police has reignited concerns about Nigeria’s policing system, with an analyst warning that decentralising law enforcement alone will not solve the country’s deep-rooted security challenges.
The argument follows the circulation of a viral video showing a suspected thief cornered inside an uncompleted building, armed with a knife and machete while daring an angry crowd to approach.
Although details surrounding the incident remain unclear, the standoff has become a symbol of the public’s dwindling confidence in the criminal justice system.
According to the analyst, the absence of police officers at the scene reflects the reality that many Nigerians no longer expect law enforcement to respond promptly during emergencies.
The piece argues that the country’s long-standing shortage of police personnel has contributed to the rise in jungle justice, with innocent people in some cases losing their lives after being wrongly accused by mobs.
While the Federal Government is pushing for the establishment of state police through constitutional amendments currently before state Houses of Assembly, the analyst cautioned that the initiative may simply transfer existing institutional problems to the state level if broader reforms are not implemented.
The article notes that the National Assembly has already passed the State Policing Bill, but it still requires approval by at least 24 of Nigeria’s 36 state assemblies before it can become law.
It also referenced the recent inauguration of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, chaired by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, which has been tasked with developing operational guidelines covering recruitment, funding, training, firearms control and human rights safeguards.
Despite these efforts, the analyst expressed concerns that state governments could misuse local police forces for political purposes, drawing comparisons with the operation of State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs), which critics have long accused of lacking independence.
Questions were also raised about whether many states possess the financial capacity to recruit, equip, insure and adequately remunerate thousands of police officers while meeting other governance obligations.
The article argued that although the Federal Government plans to introduce a “readiness certification” before states can establish police commands, political interference and weak institutional culture may undermine such safeguards.
Rather than viewing state policing as a standalone solution, the analyst maintained that the Federal Government should first address the structural weaknesses of the Nigeria Police Force.
According to the commentary, state police should complement—not replace—a functional national police system, warning that creating new policing structures without restoring public trust in law enforcement risks merely “papering over” deeper institutional failures.
The writer concluded that the widespread public distrust that drives citizens to pursue suspected criminals themselves is the real challenge that security reforms must address if lasting improvements are to be achieved….See more