The country needs a decentralised police force, argues HAFIZ BAKARE
We are a very “special and interesting” people!
It is sheer hypocrisy that many Nigerians have spent years championing state policing as a vital pillar of true federalism, only for some to reject it the moment it became reality. Rather than addressing additional safeguards (if there’s any that has not already been considered) that might be necessary given the urgency that is clearly imperative, some of those who enthusiastically backed the bill through years of regional consultations, have abandoned their principles the moment the law was actually passed, proving they prefer the issue as something else rather than an actionable solution.
The bill was passed with an overwhelming bipartisan majority but it is obvious that some of our people prefer partisan togas over national good.
If a decentralized police force was considered an urgent, life-saving necessity under previous administrations, calling it a “recipe for anarchy” under the current administration amounts to double standards and puts motives in question.
By demanding that rural (and even urban in recent times!) communities—who face daily threats of banditry and kidnapping—wait until after a possible change in government in 2027 for localized protection, some of our compatriots present the country with a confusing paradox. We routinely blast the federal government for not doing enough to protect citizens, yet we are actively trying to block the deployment of local police forces designed to fix that exact failure.
While a few have brought up the idea of a regional alternative, it should be noted that as it stands, there is no provision for regional coordination in the 2026 State Police Bill. However, because it is a “living document,” if regional coordination becomes necessary post-implementation, I believe it would be considered—specifically the coordination of State Police, as distinct from a separate Regional Police. The core idea remains decentralization, with the main point of departure being to what level: State or Region. The majority position for now is to decentralize down to the state level.
The National Assembly deliberately structured the bill to prevent individual state forces from merging into informal regional armies, such as unified Amotekun or Ebube Agu commands. The jurisdiction of any established state police force will be legally confined within its specific state borders, while cross-border crimes will remain a federal mandate. In other words, to prevent interstate friction, any security operations involving regional coordination or intelligence sharing across state boundaries will remain the exclusive mandate of the restructured Federal Police Service.
Regional coordination may be considered in the future if necessary, but there will likely not be a rollback to Regional Police. This is due to our population, complexity, localized peculiarities, and the need to swiftly engage criminality at the level where a state’s Chief Security Officer is empowered to operate.
Sincerity is also key, which is why one cannot but agree with the critique regarding the hypocrisy of politicians, ordinary citizens, and even retired or serving uniformed men who may have wittingly or unwittingly allowed the crisis of insecurity to aggravate under the “non-kinetic approach.” The current situation calls for all-round firmness with no room for negotiation or amnesty to give a clear signal. This sentiment is reasonably well captured by Lasisi Olagunju in his recent article “Katsina Terrorists Went To Mecca”.
Unfortunately, opposition politicians do not inspire much confidence in this regard, with frontline figures affirming that if they get into power, they would negotiate with terrorists and bandits “who want peace”! How is that different from the ill-informed “repentant terrorists” scheme?
Of course, institution of State Police is not the “be all and end all” for curbing insecurity at the scale that we are currently dealing with. But it is definitely a step in the right direction and can be reviewed by amending, adding or removing provisions as may become imperative based on practical insights gained in the course of implementation.
It is expected to complement other far-reaching measures being deployed or contemplated to ensure that we remain in existence first, and are not consumed before considering 2027!
May God help us even as we help ourselves.
Bakare is a Consultant and former Bank Chief Executive.