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By Tracy Moses
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly, Hon. Debo Ogundoyin, on Monday offered contrasting perspectives on the ongoing call for the creation of state police.
While Egbetokun emphasized the need to strengthen and adequately fund the existing Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to fulfill its constitutional mandate, Ogundoyin argued that the country’s security challenges demand a multi-tiered policing approach, including the establishment of state police forces.
The two leaders spoke during a constitutional review dialogue on national security architecture, themed “Nigeria’s Peace and Security: The Constitutional Imperative,” organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review in partnership with the Office of the National Security Adviser.
The Inspector General cited Section 214(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which establishes the Nigeria Police Force as the sole police entity permitted by law, stating: “There shall be a police force for Nigeria… and no other police force shall be established for the federation or any part thereof.”
He also referenced Section 215(1), which vests the operational command and leadership of the force in the office of the Inspector General of Police, appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Nigeria Police Council.
“These provisions highlight the centralized nature of policing in our country,” Egbetokun explained. “While this centralization provides legal consistency, it has not translated into effective decentralization in operational terms, hindering our capacity to adequately secure a nation as vast and diverse as Nigeria.”
The Police Chief noted that Nigeria’s security environment has grown increasingly complex, citing insurgency in the Northeast, banditry and kidnapping in the North-West and North-Central, secessionist violence in the Southeast, and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea as examples of the growing threats confronting the nation.
He argued that several gaps within the 1999 Constitution limit the effectiveness of the NPF and other security agencies, including the absence of clear frameworks for intelligence sharing, joint command structures, community policing, and border security.
“These structural gaps call for a holistic recalibration of our national security framework,” Egbetokun stressed. “Without clearly defined operational command and coordination mechanisms, we risk undermining our response capabilities.”
On the debate over state police, Egbetokun acknowledged the arguments in favor of local policing, including quicker response times and improved community engagement. However, he warned that Nigeria is not yet institutionally or politically ready for decentralized police powers.
“There are real concerns over the potential abuse of police powers at the state level, the inadequate financial capacity of most states to sustain their own forces, and the risks of fragmentation in command and intelligence frameworks,” he said.
Rather than fragmenting authority, Egbetokun recommended that reforms focus on enhancing the operational capacity of the NPF through increased funding, greater autonomy, and the establishment of state and community policing structures within the existing federal framework. He also advocated for standardized training, recruitment, and oversight to ensure coherence.
Meanwhile, Speaker Ogundoyin maintained that the creation of state police is necessary to address the peculiar security challenges experienced across Nigeria’s 36 states.
“As leaders of state legislatures, we are on the frontlines of the nation’s security struggles and know where the shoe pinches,” Ogundoyin said. “The reality is that our current centralized policing structure has become overstretched.”
He described the security situation in Nigeria—ranging from insurgency and terrorism to herder-farmer conflicts—as dire and widespread, affecting food security, public safety, and economic stability.
According to him, the Conference of Speakers believes the establishment of state police is not just a political aspiration but a patriotic step towards localized, accountable, and efficient security delivery.
“We understand the concerns around potential misuse, inter-agency conflicts, and operational challenges,” he acknowledged. “However, with proper constitutional safeguards, defined command structures, legislative oversight, and inter-agency coordination, these issues can be addressed.”
Ogundoyin added that many state governments already support federal security agencies within their jurisdictions and therefore possess the experience to manage localized police formations responsibly.
He further called for stronger intelligence-sharing mechanisms, improved training and welfare for security personnel, and robust legal tools to tackle evolving threats like cybercrime and terrorism.
“We are confident that this legislative dialogue will lay the foundation for a more responsive and resilient national security framework,” Ogundoyin concluded. “The Conference of Speakers is fully committed to supporting constitutional amendments that promote peace, restore trust, and secure a better future for our people.”