You can’t build 36 state police forces on weak national police — Ukeje

By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA — Former Member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Nnenna Ukeje, on Thursday warned that Nigeria risks building state police on a weak foundation, insisting the country must first rebuild and strengthen the Nigeria Police Force before creating 36 new state policing institutions.

Speaking at the ARISE News Town Hall on State Police in Abuja, Ukeje said the growing pressure to establish state police reflected Nigerians’ frustration with worsening insecurity. But she cautioned against mistaking urgency for preparedness, insisting that while she supports devolving policing powers, the country must first put the right institutions in place.

The discussion had opened with presentations by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, and Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, both of whom argued in favour of decentralised policing.

However, when the moderator invited Ukeje to respond to concerns about possible political abuse, she shifted the conversation beyond politics, focusing instead on whether Nigeria had the institutions, resources and safeguards needed to make state police work.

“If we do not have a strong national police force, it will be difficult to build 36 effective state police forces on the foundation of a weak national police,” she stated.

Ukeje said few Nigerians still disputed the need to devolve policing because the current centralised system was struggling to cope. The real question, she argued, was whether the country had laid the necessary groundwork before embarking on such a far-reaching reform.

“As a result, the police itself has effectively been ‘de-policed’. In many places, large numbers of police officers have been killed alongside military personnel. They have not been adequately replaced. In the South-East, where many of us come from, numerous police stations have been burnt down. Those stations have not been rebuilt,” Ukeje added.

Although she supports devolving policing powers, Ukeje said the transition must be carefully planned.

“I support devolution. However, I believe the immediate move towards state police must follow a clearly defined process,” the ex-lawmaker said.

She said the transition should be guided by clear timelines, defined objectives and a phased implementation plan, questioning whether the proposed system was designed to combat terrorism or tackle broader criminal activities.

“Many people seem to suggest that, once state police is established, all our security problems will disappear. Is state police really the magic bullet? I keep asking that question, and I have yet to hear a convincing answer,” Ukeje added.

Beyond institutional readiness, she argued, funding could prove the biggest obstacle.

Despite years of underfunding of the Nigeria Police Force, Ukeje questioned whether many states had the financial capacity to establish and sustain modern police organisations.

“Ultimately, you get the security you are willing to pay for. The question then becomes: do the states actually have the financial capacity to establish and sustain the type of police force required to confront today’s security challenges?”

She added that any transition would also require reliable databases, structured recruitment, proper training institutions and continuous retraining of officers, noting that even the shortest programme at the Nigerian Police Academy lasts six months.

Ukeje then turned to what she described as another major blind spot in the debate, the proliferation of illegal firearms.

“As of today, the Nigerian Police Force has reportedly lost approximately 175,000 firearms from its armouries. Now we are proposing to establish additional police forces. Is anyone seriously discussing this issue with the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons?

“Because we are about to arm personnel all the way down to village level. Everyone will potentially have access to AK-47 rifles. What safeguards will exist to ensure they do not end up in the wrong hands?” Ukeje asked.

She also called for a clear division of responsibilities within the country’s wider security architecture, saying the debate had paid little attention to agencies such as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the military.

“Where does the Civil Defence Corps fit into this new security architecture? What role will they play? What role will the military continue to play? Where will the jurisdictional boundaries lie? How will overlapping responsibilities be managed?” Ukeje asked.

She warned that introducing state police without first settling those issues could create fresh security and constitutional complications.

“I believe the finer details must first be addressed because we are dealing with an issue that, if poorly implemented, has the potential to create even greater problems,” she explained.

Ukeje returned to the central message of her intervention: state police may be necessary, but introducing it without careful planning could deepen rather than solve Nigeria’s security challenges.

“I do not believe that, as things stand today, given the nature of Nigeria’s security challenges, state police alone will effectively address terrorism and the broader threats confronting the country. We must carefully establish timelines, safeguards, overlapping responsibilities and jurisdictional boundaries to avoid confusion once state police is introduced,” she stated.

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