Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has cautioned against the hurried adoption of State Police in Nigeria, warning that the proposal could create new challenges unless issues of funding, accountability, equipment, and potential abuse of power are thoroughly addressed.
Falana spoke during an interview on Politics Today, a current affairs programme on Channels Television, where he examined the ongoing national debate on the establishment of State Police as part of efforts to tackle insecurity across the country.
According to him, the discussion has largely ignored fundamental questions relating to how the proposed police structure would be funded, equipped, and managed.
He argued that effective policing is not primarily about increasing the number of police officers or establishing additional police formations, but about providing law enforcement agencies with the resources and technology needed to combat modern crime.
“Policing the country is not about increasing the number of policemen or police stations. It is about equipping the current police force. The issue is not whether you have State Police or Local Government Police but whether you have the necessary gadgets and technology to police society effectively”, Falana said.
The senior lawyer noted that many criminal networks now operate with sophisticated technological capabilities, while Nigerian law enforcement agencies continue to struggle with inadequate equipment and intelligence-gathering tools.
He cited reports that funds approved for the acquisition of advanced surveillance technology, including satellite-based systems, had yet to be fully deployed, arguing that such deficiencies undermine efforts to address growing security threats.
Falana stressed that regardless of whether policing remains centralised or becomes decentralised, authorities must first address the welfare, motivation, and operational capacity of personnel responsible for maintaining law and order.
He also questioned the financial viability of State Police, particularly in states that already face difficulties meeting their existing obligations.
“Can governments that cannot pay salaries regularly afford to fund State Police services?” he asked.
Falana said the issue of funding remains one of the strongest arguments raised by opponents of State Police and should not be overlooked in the ongoing constitutional and policy discussions.
Beyond funding, Falana expressed concern over the possibility that State Police could be abused by political office holders if adequate safeguards are not established.
Drawing from Nigeria’s political history, he warned that governors could potentially exert undue influence over state-controlled police formations, thereby undermining democratic freedoms and civil liberties.
According to him, the fears expressed by many Nigerians regarding the misuse of State Police powers deserve serious consideration.
“People at the local level must be allowed to express their fears and concerns. We cannot simply sit in Abuja and conclude that because the Federal Government wants State Police, everyone must support the proposal,” he said.
Falana maintained that public consultation and consensus-building should form an essential part of any reform process, especially one with far-reaching implications for security and governance.
He further argued that discussions about State Police should not be isolated from broader reforms of the Nigeria Police Force.
According to him, creating additional police structures without addressing existing institutional weaknesses within the federal police system would amount to treating symptoms rather than the root causes of the country’s security challenges.
He called for a framework that would guarantee transparency, accountability, and balanced oversight of police institutions at all levels of government.
Falana also raised concerns about the operational relationship that would exist between federal and state police formations if the proposal is eventually adopted.
He said critical questions regarding jurisdiction, intelligence sharing, command structures, and coordination mechanisms remain unanswered.
“How will Federal and State Police collaborate? How will intelligence be shared? At what level will they work together?” he asked.
He warned that failure to clearly define such relationships could result in jurisdictional conflicts and inefficiencies that may ultimately weaken the nation’s security architecture.
He suggested that policymakers should also explore alternative models, including regional policing arrangements that would allow states or regions to pool resources rather than establishing separate police bureaucracies for each state.
Such an approach, he said, could reduce administrative costs while ensuring more effective funding and operational coordination.
Falana further emphasised that any restructuring of Nigeria’s security architecture must be anchored on accountability.
“Restructuring without accountability is not the way to go. Whether it is State Police, Local Government autonomy, or any other reform, if there is no accountability, you will not succeed. In fact, you may multiply the problems you are trying to solve,” he said.”
Reflecting on the historical evolution of policing debates in Nigeria, Falana recalled that discussions around decentralizing security structures have existed for decades.
He noted that when former President Olusegun Obasanjo moved to establish the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in 2003, constitutional questions arose because Section 214 of the Constitution provides for a single police force for the federation.
Now that Nigeria is reconsidering the structure of its policing system, Falana said policymakers must focus on addressing legitimate concerns rather than rushing into constitutional amendments.
He urged government officials, legislators, and stakeholders to engage in a comprehensive national conversation on the practical implications of State Police before taking a final decision.
According to him, the success of any policing reform will ultimately depend not on the creation of new institutions, but on the availability of resources, effective oversight, public trust, and accountability mechanisms capable of preventing abuse and ensuring professional law enforcement.
