By Bilesanmi Abayomi
Following the Nigerian Senate’s passage of the State Police Bill, prominent social commentator, Omoba Rasheed Awofeso, has cautioned that the proposed decentralisation of policing in Nigeria could create new challenges if not backed by strong institutional safeguards and accountability mechanisms.
The Senate on Wednesday passed the State Police Bill, a landmark constitutional amendment aimed at moving Nigeria from a unitary policing structure to a federal policing model that empowers states to establish their own police services. The reform is intended to address rising security challenges, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of violent crime.
Reacting to the development in an interview with KosofePost on Friday, Awofeso described the initiative as commendable but warned that its implementation could be undermined by significant structural dilemmas.
“State policing is not a bad idea. However, without adequate safeguards, legal protections and independent oversight, it could create more problems than it intends to solve,” he said.
Areas of Concern
Awofeso identified eight critical challenges that could emerge under a state-controlled policing system.
He expressed fears that some governors could use state police to intimidate political opponents and suppress dissenting voices.
According to him, there is a risk that officers may become more loyal to state executives than to the Constitution and the rule of law.
He warned that state police could potentially be deployed to influence electoral outcomes and restrict opposition activities.
Awofeso noted the possibility of arbitrary arrests, unlawful detentions and harassment of political adversaries.
He raised concerns that policing could be skewed to protect ethnic, religious or sectional interests rather than serving all citizens equally.
He also anticipated possible friction between federal and state security agencies over operational mandates and responsibilities.
Awofeso observed that while some states may possess the financial resources to establish well-equipped police services, less prosperous states could struggle to provide adequate training, logistics and personnel welfare.
He stressed that without strong and independent oversight structures, abuses of power could become difficult to prevent or address.
Potential Benefits
Despite his concerns, Awofeso acknowledged that state policing could offer significant benefits if properly implemented.
He noted that decentralised policing could improve local intelligence gathering, enhance community trust in law enforcement and enable quicker responses to security challenges unique to different states.
According to him, the success of the initiative will depend largely on the government’s ability to establish robust legal frameworks, guarantee operational independence and create effective accountability mechanisms capable of preventing abuse.
The passage of the State Police Bill represents one of the most significant security reforms proposed under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. As national conversations around the bill continue, experts such as Awofeso are urging policymakers to ensure that the pursuit of improved local security does not come at the expense of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law.