By Sharon Akuboh, Abuja
As Nigeria moves closer to embracing state policing as part of its security architecture, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Transparency International (TI) Nigeria have cautioned that the long-awaited reform could become a double-edged sword unless backed by strong constitutional safeguards, sustainable funding, and robust accountability mechanisms.
While the constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish State Police has generated optimism among many Nigerians who believe decentralised policing could improve security at the grassroots, CISLAC insists that the reform, in its current form, leaves critical gaps that could expose the country to fresh political manipulation, institutional abuse, and widening inequalities in security delivery.
In a statement signed by the Executive Director of CISLAC and Head of Transparency International Nigeria, Comrade Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, the organisation acknowledged that decentralised policing has the potential to strengthen intelligence gathering, build community trust, and enhance responses to local security threats. However, it argued that creating State Police alone would not automatically resolve Nigeria’s complex security challenges.
According to the organisation, meaningful security reform must go beyond constitutional amendments to include comprehensive legal, institutional, financial, and governance reforms capable of guaranteeing professionalism, transparency, and respect for human rights.
One of the major concerns raised by CISLAC is the possibility of political interference in the operations of State Police formations. The organisation warned that unless operational independence is constitutionally protected and subjected to credible independent oversight, state-controlled police could easily become instruments for political intimidation.
It noted that governors and political actors could exploit State Police to suppress opposition parties, intimidate journalists, silence civil society organisations, harass critics, and influence electoral processes—ultimately weakening Nigeria’s democratic institutions rather than strengthening public safety.
To prevent such outcomes, CISLAC called for transparent, merit-based, and independently verified recruitment processes. It stressed that political loyalists, political thugs, partisan appointees, and other politically exposed individuals must be excluded from State Police recruitment if professionalism and public confidence are to be maintained.
The organisation also highlighted another significant challenge—the financial capacity of many states.
According to CISLAC, numerous state governments already struggle to meet fundamental obligations such as salary payments and pensions. Establishing and maintaining modern police formations would require substantial investments in recruitment, training, equipment, welfare, logistics, and technology.
Without guaranteed and sustainable funding, the organisation warned, Nigeria could end up with a two-tier policing system in which wealthier states operate efficient security structures while less financially stable states are left with poorly equipped, underfunded, and ineffective police organisations vulnerable to corruption and operational failure.
Beyond financial resources, CISLAC stressed that state governments must also demonstrate the institutional competence required to manage modern police organisations effectively. This includes strong human resource management systems, disciplinary procedures, intelligence coordination, and compliance with national professional standards.
The organisation further argued that the proposed oversight framework requires significant strengthening to prevent abuse of power. It recommended independent supervision, effective complaints mechanisms, enforceable disciplinary measures, transparent recruitment procedures, human rights-based training, and clearly defined systems for intelligence sharing between State Police formations and federal security agencies.
Looking beyond conventional policing, CISLAC urged policymakers to ensure that State Police are equipped to confront emerging security threats such as cybercrime, digital fraud, organised crime, and technologically sophisticated criminal networks.
It advocated sustained investment in forensic investigations, cybercrime capabilities, digital intelligence, surveillance technology, specialised response units, continuous professional development, and stronger community engagement.
Despite the ongoing debate surrounding State Police, CISLAC cautioned Nigerians against expecting immediate solutions to the country’s security crisis. The organisation observed that establishing new police formations would require careful planning, adequate funding, institutional development, and time before meaningful results could be achieved.
During the transition, it urged the Federal Government to continue strengthening existing security agencies through improved intelligence sharing, enhanced community policing, better welfare packages for personnel, increased investment in technology-driven policing, and stronger accountability systems.
Rafsanjani maintained that while State Police possess enormous potential to improve local responses to insecurity, the reform must not sacrifice democratic accountability for administrative convenience.
“State policing holds immense potential to enhance local responsiveness to insecurity, but without ironclad safeguards, it risks becoming a new frontier for abuse and fragmentation. We urge the 36 State Houses of Assembly, Governors, and the Presidency to prioritise the public interest by addressing these concerns decisively. True security reform must serve the people, not entrench elite power,” he stated.
As deliberations continue, CISLAC called on State Houses of Assembly to conduct extensive public hearings and strengthen the constitutional framework before ratification. It also advocated independent State Police Service Commissions, protected funding mechanisms insulated from political interference, transparent procurement systems, mandatory independent audits, and nationally uniform standards covering recruitment, training, operations, welfare, accountability, transparency, and human rights compliance.
The organisation further recommended that the Federal Government and the National Assembly establish a multi-stakeholder transitional committee to supervise the phased implementation of State Police nationwide, monitor compliance, and evaluate the effectiveness of the reform.
Reaffirming its commitment to constructive engagement, CISLAC pledged to continue working with the National Assembly, state legislatures, executive authorities, civil society organisations, traditional institutions, labour unions, the media, and the private sector to ensure that State Police, if eventually established, become a truly accountable, transparent, citizen-centred, rights-based, and equitable institution capable of improving security for all Nigerians.