President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has thrown his weight behind the push for state policing in Nigeria, describing it as an essential reform needed to address the country’s worsening security landscape.

Speaking through the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar Badaru, at a high-level Legislative Dialogue on Nigeria’s National Security Architecture in Abuja, Tinubu said the time had come for bold constitutional amendments that decentralise policing.

“The debate over State Police is no longer theoretical. It is grounded in the daily fears and live anxieties of Nigerians: farmers afraid to tend their fields, traders unsure of safe passage, and communities abandoned to self-help,” the President stated.

The dialogue, organised by the House Committee on Constitution Review in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), was a platform for stakeholders to examine how constitutional amendments could reshape the country’s security framework.

Tinubu’s remarks emphasised that the current centralised policing system is inadequate, especially in light of increasingly sophisticated security threats.

He argued that the 1999 Constitution, while foundational to Nigeria’s democracy, no longer meets the realities of modern security challenges such as terrorism, cybercrime, farmer-herder conflicts, and piracy.

“The pace of change in technology, in the complexity of security threats, and in the dynamics of our federal structure has far outstripped the capacity of some constitutional provisions. Our Constitution must evolve or risk becoming a danger to the very unity it was meant to protect,” he warned.

According to Tinubu, transferring policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List would empower states that are capable and willing to establish their own police forces.

“We must learn from global best practices, adapting decentralised policing models that enhance local accountability without sacrificing national oversight,” he noted.

His remarks were in line with growing calls from governors, civil society, and traditional rulers for state police as a means of strengthening community-based security and reducing reliance on overstretched federal forces.

Tinubu acknowledged progress in recent months, particularly through greater coordination between national security agencies.

He credited joint task force operations, improved intelligence sharing, and synchronized air and ground offensives with successes in the fight against terrorism in the North-East and banditry in the North-West.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, described the dialogue as timely and critical to rethinking Nigeria’s security laws.

“Nigeria’s complex security landscape demands strategies that are multi-dimensional, inclusive, technology-driven, and adaptable,” he said.

His deputy, Benjamin Kalu, who also chairs the Constitution Review Committee, called the session a much-needed diagnostic process. He criticised past legislative efforts for excluding insights from frontline security personnel.

Similarly, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Christopher Musa called for sweeping legal reforms to address emerging threats like hybrid warfare and cyber insecurity.

He identified “unclear command authority and detention procedures” as areas of legal ambiguity that hinder effective internal security operations.

National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, represented by Maj. Gen. Adamu Laka of the National Centre for Anti-Counter Terrorism, linked security to constitutional integrity.

“A responsive, inclusive, and forward-looking constitution is essential for fostering national unity and addressing the root causes of insecurity,” Laka said.

However, the dialogue also revealed lingering divisions. The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, represented by CP Ohiozoba Ehiede, cautioned against establishing state police.

He advocated instead for better funding and restructuring of the existing Nigeria Police Force.

That stance was challenged by Debo Ogundoyin, Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly, who argued that Nigeria’s security crisis justifies a multi-layered policing system.

He insisted that only state police can offer the localised responsiveness communities now require.

The clamour for state police has grown from a regional push to a national conversation.

President Tinubu had earlier broached the subject with governors in February 2024, where a consensus reportedly emerged on the need for state-level policing, pending more discussions on implementation.

Since Nigeria’s independence in 1960, its police force has remained centralised, with successive reform panels, such as the 2006 M.D. Yusuf Committee and the 2012 Parry Osayande Panel, recommending decentralisation.

However, fears of political abuse and threats to national unity stalled implementation.

In 2021, governors from all 17 southern states endorsed state police at meetings in Asaba, Lagos, and Enugu, citing its necessity in confronting region-specific crimes.

Delays by four states, Adamawa, Kwara, Kebbi, and the FCT, in submitting their positions had slowed deliberations at the National Economic Council (NEC), but reports suggest all inputs have now been submitted, paving the way for NEC to take a final position.

Meanwhile, security expert and former DSS director Mike Ejiofor said in an interview that most states already operate de facto state police under the guise of task forces.

He argued for formal recognition and legal backing of these structures.

“If you look at it, virtually all the states have their own state police all in the name of one task force or the other. Why not formalise it?” Ejiofor asked.

He dismissed fears of political abuse, saying safeguards could be built into the legal framework.

“The legal framework can make it have IG’s representation particularly in the recruitment process so that it doesn’t have some political influence,” he said.

He also recommended that traditional rulers be involved in the vetting process.

Ejiofor concluded: “Though not all the states can afford the State [police], but the states that can afford should go ahead once the constitution is amended and let’s see how it goes. We cannot just throw away the baby with the bathwater because of fear that it will be abused.”

The Katsina State Government has issued a stern warning to bandits who have recently surrendered, cautioning them to uphold their end of the peace agreements or face renewed military action.

Nasir Mu’azu, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, delivered the warning on Monday during a press briefing about the latest developments in the state’s security efforts.

“Let me also make it clear that in case they renege on their promises, we are going to deal with them as we used to. That is the position of the government,” Mu’azu said.

He revealed that several bandit leaders from Jibia, Batsari, and DanMusa Local Government Areas have disarmed and agreed to peaceful coexistence.

According to the commissioner, these areas have seen a marked improvement in security since the agreements took effect.

“Governor Dikko Radda made it clear that security is his top priority. He has shown this through action. We will not negotiate with bandits, but if they surrender, we’ll give them a chance to live like normal citizens,” Mu’azu added.

Despite these developments, the commissioner stressed that military operations would continue in volatile zones such as Kankara, Faskari, Sabuwa, Dandume, and Safana, unless the armed groups in those areas also agree to disarm and embrace peace.

“The government will continue to carry out military operations in troubled areas like Kankara, Faskari, Sabuwa, Dandume, and Safana unless the bandits there also surrender. If they keep attacking, we will respond accordingly,” he stated.

Just last Saturday, ten notorious bandit leaders in DanMusa reportedly turned in their weapons, including several AK-47 rifles and a PKT machine gun.

They also released kidnapped victims, including a woman who is seven months pregnant.

While acknowledging the breakthrough as a positive step, Mu’azu emphasized that the state would not condone any betrayal of the terms.

“If they break their promises, we’ll return to treating them the way we used to,” he warned.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, raised serious concerns on Monday about possible insider collaboration with the attackers responsible for the recent spate of killings in Benue State.

Our correspondent reports that armed invaders killed at least 100 people on Saturday in the Yelewata community of Guma Local Government Area.

General Musa, who visited the scene to assess the situation and commiserate with Governor Hyacinth Alia and the people of Benue, revealed that security agencies suspect some individuals within the affected communities are supplying vital information to the attackers.

“In my estimation, it is one killing too many. We have observed that the way some of the burnings were carried out shows they were targeted. It indicates the presence of insiders compromising security efforts,” the CDS said.

He emphasised the importance of collective involvement in the fight to secure the environment and indicated that a change in military strategy was underway.

He assured that the military would work more closely with local stakeholders to tackle the crisis.

“We are going to change our strategies to look inwards. But we cannot do it alone. We need the communities to be part of this effort,” he said.

General Musa also disclosed that consultations with traditional rulers, religious leaders, and local communities have already commenced in an effort to rebuild trust and foster collaboration.

“There may be issues of trust and we are going to address them. We want this to be the last attack of this nature. We will go all out to ensure peace is restored,” he added.

The defence chief further announced plans to visit Nasarawa State to enhance border security coordination, which he described as crucial in preventing cross-border attacks.

“We always receive information that these attackers are coming from across the borders. Wherever they are coming from, we will go after them. We must not wait for them to strike first,” he said.

Addressing the youth, General Musa urged them not to lose hope, insisting that Nigeria must not surrender to violence.

“This is our country. We can never give up our country for anything. And this madness must stop,” the CDS declared.

Responding to the CDS’s visit, Maurice Orwough, Chairman of Guma Local Government Area, expressed that the visit brought renewed hope to the people.

Speaking on the sidelines, Orwough said, “The visit of the Chief of Defence Staff gives our people in Guma LGA a sense of hope. It shows that the Nigerian government is genuinely concerned about the situation in Benue State. This visit allows us to provide him with first-hand information about what is happening here and what we need.”

He added that the visit would help restore residents’ trust in the federal government.

“The quick response from the authorities gives our people some confidence that the government is paying attention. It is a sign of hope for us,” Orwough said.