GAFAMORG and NCP Issue Strong Warning on State Police Reform
The Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organisation (GAFAMORG) and the National Conscience Party (NCP) have issued a joint statement calling for extreme caution and deeper reflection in the ongoing national debate regarding the establishment of state police in Nigeria. The groups emphasize that the country must resist the temptation of quick fixes that could carry severe long-term consequences for its democratic stability.
Historical Lessons and Democratic Principles
In a statement cosigned by Babatunde Agunbiade, Adeoye Ade Adewunmi, and Vincent Odumemjenba, the organizations noted that while Nigeria faces a grave security crisis—encompassing banditry, kidnapping, communal violence, and mass killings—the urgency for reform must not override principle. The critical question is not merely whether reform is necessary, but whether the proposed solution is sustainable, just, and consistent with democratic principles.
"History offers a sobering lesson," the statement reads. "The abuse of regional policing structures in the past contributed directly to political repression and instability, culminating in the 1966 Nigerian coup. This experience underscores the imperative need for caution in adopting any decentralised policing framework without robust constitutional safeguards."
Risks of Multiple Coercive Power Centers
The groups expressed significant concern that state police, if introduced without adequate checks and balances, could create multiple centers of coercive power that are vulnerable to political manipulation. In a context where Nigeria's institutions remain fragile, this raises legitimate fears about potential misuse against political opponents, civil society actors, and ordinary citizens.
"The concern is that state police, if introduced without adequate checks, may create multiple centres of coercive power vulnerable to political control," they stated. "In a context where institutions remain fragile, this raises legitimate fears about potential misuse against political opponents, civil society actors, and ordinary citizens."
Advocating for Community Policing Alternative
Rather than a hurried adoption of state police, GAFAMORG and NCP advocate for a more measured and constitutionally grounded alternative: the full implementation of community policing within a clearly defined legal and institutional framework. They argue that such a model prioritizes democratic participation, transparency, and accountability.
"Such a model prioritises democratic participation, transparency, and accountability," the statement explains. "It ensures that policing is not only closer to the people but also subject to civilian oversight, including the involvement of community stakeholders, youth organisations, trade unions, and professional bodies."
Modern Security Responses and Social Justice
The organizations further emphasized that modern security challenges require modern responses. The deployment of technology—including advanced surveillance systems and intelligence-driven policing—is essential for enhancing effectiveness while reducing reliance on force.
"Crucially, security cannot be divorced from social justice," they noted. "The persistence of poverty, unemployment, and inequality continues to fuel insecurity across the country. Without addressing these root causes, no policing structure, however sophisticated, can deliver lasting peace."
In this regard, they highlighted that the guiding principle of the National Conscience Party—the abolition of poverty—remains central to any meaningful security reform. "In the enduring spirit of Gani Fawehinmi: Security must serve the people—not power," they declared.
Call for Principle-Based Debate and Legislative Action
Ultimately, GAFAMORG and NCP insist that the debate on state police must move beyond expediency to principle. Nigeria requires a security architecture that not only protects lives and property but also safeguards democratic freedoms and human dignity.
The groups urged the National Assembly of Nigeria to approach this matter with the seriousness it deserves, ensuring that any reform adopted strengthens, rather than undermines, the constitutional order. They called for comprehensive deliberations that incorporate broad stakeholder input and rigorous constitutional analysis.
"Ultimately, the debate on state police must move beyond expediency to principle," they concluded. "Nigeria requires a security architecture that not only protects lives and property but also safeguards democratic freedoms and human dignity."
