Retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Ade Ajakaiye, has renewed calls for the establishment of state police, arguing that Nigeria’s worsening security crisis has exposed the limitations of the country’s centralised policing structure.
Urgent Need for Decentralised Policing
Ajakaiye, who made the call in a statement made available to The Guardian in Ibadan, maintained that rising incidents of banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, armed robbery, and communal conflicts across the country have made decentralised policing an urgent national necessity rather than a political option.
According to him, the current security architecture is overstretched and unable to respond effectively to local threats. He stressed that state police would enhance intelligence gathering, improve response times, strengthen community trust, and enable states to address peculiar security challenges within their jurisdictions.
Constitutional Contradiction
The retired police chief noted that governors currently bear responsibility for security without having direct control over policing operations, describing the situation as a constitutional contradiction that has weakened efforts to protect lives and property.
He argued that state police would bring security closer to the people, create employment opportunities for thousands of youths, and provide states with the flexibility to develop tailored responses to security threats.
Addressing Fears of Abuse
Ajakaiye also dismissed fears of abuse by state governments, insisting that strong constitutional safeguards, legislative oversight, judicial checks, and professional recruitment standards could prevent political misuse of state police formations.
He urged the National Assembly to expedite action on constitutional amendments aimed at creating state police, insisting that Nigeria can no longer afford to delay reforms needed to tackle its growing insecurity challenges.
