Dr. Chyma Anthony, a security specialist, has asked the federal government to think about regional police frameworks that support true federalism rather than state policing.
Dr. Anthony noted that in order to combat growing insecurity in Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had recently increased calls for State Police.
The President had urged the National Assembly to expedite constitutional revisions to the 1999 Constitution (as amended) in order to facilitate the establishment of state police forces during a meeting with Senate members in Abuja.
In meetings with governors, the president reaffirmed this promise, stressing that decentralization would bring law enforcement closer to the people, recover territory from bandits and militants, and restore safety for regular Nigerians.
Speaking with reporters in Port Harcourt, Dr. Anthony pointed out that the President’s initiative is in line with larger “federalism reform” initiatives in Nigeria, where discussions on actual fiscal, political, and security devolution have gathered steam.
“Recent legislative actions, such as bills like HB. 617 (Constitution Alteration Bill for Establishment of State Police), propose amending key sections (e.g., Sections 214, 215) to allow federal and state police coexistence with frameworks for structure, oversight, and safeguards against abuse,” he stated.
Supporters contend that this embodies the idea of subsidiarity, which states that authority should be held at the level most qualified to use it. As an immediate response to Nigeria’s overburdened centralized Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Senate has indicated that it is prepared to expedite these measures.
Anthony went on to say that although full state-level policing corrects some inequities in federalism, it has significant risks in Nigeria’s current socio-political reality and may worsen division rather than provide security.
“37 disparate forces (36 states + FCT) could create border nightmares endless checkpoints, extortion, and harassment for travelers,” the expert added, explaining why state police are still dangerous. States with little resources may create vigilante-like forces with inadequate equipment and training.
Additionally, “Governors could weaponize forces for ethnic targeting, political vendettas, or electoral manipulation.” National uniformity and accountability would be compromised by inconsistent policies. Security deficiencies could be exacerbated by jurisdictional conflicts and intelligence silos.
He emphasized that “these risks echo concerns in ongoing debates, including fears of decentralized despotism and historical abuses” and stated that localized control can increase ethnic or community prejudices.
Regarding regional police, Dr. Anthony pointed out that it’s a realistic, well-balanced step toward actual federalism change.
The six geopolitical zones of Nigeria—North West, North East, North Central, South East, South West, and South-South—offer devolution that improves responsiveness without 37-way anarchy, he stated. It maintains national unity while adjusting security to local crime trends, cultures, and dynamics.
He advised Nigeria to modify its regional policing methods to incorporate global and comparative learning from Canada, Germany, England and Wales, India, and other countries.
By “devolving power thoughtfully, drawing from global hybrids like South Africa, building on Amotekun’s successes, and reforming institutions like the PSC for equity and accountability,” Anthony emphasized once more how regional police reforms promote true federalism.
President Tinubu’s audacious push for decentralized security is ambitious and essential, he continued, but “Regional Police, embedded in constitutional and PSC reforms, offers the pragmatic, unifying path.” It provides responsive, community-based security that fortifies rather than weakens Nigeria’s federation while avoiding the dangers of state-level fragmentation.
