Dr. Chyma Anthony, a security specialist, has called on the federal government to replace state policing with a regional police system that fosters true federalism.
Dr. Anthony noted that in an effort to combat growing insecurity in Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had recently increased calls for State Police.
In order to facilitate the establishment of state police forces, the President asked the National Assembly to expedite constitutional modifications to the 1999 Constitution (as amended) during a meeting with Senate members in Abuja.
In meetings with governors, the president reaffirmed this promise, stressing that decentralization will bring law enforcement closer to the people, recover territory from bandits and militants, and restore safety for ordinary Nigerians.
Speaking to reporters in Port Harcourt, Dr. Anthony pointed out that the President’s push is consistent with larger “federalism reform” initiatives in Nigeria, where discussions on actual fiscal, political, and security devolution have gained traction.
“Recent legislative actions, including 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 vested 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 such modifications.
Anthony went on to say that although full state-level policing corrects some inequities in federalism, it has significant hazards in Nigeria’s current sociopolitical reality, which could worsen divide rather than provide security.
The expert explained why state police are still dangerous, saying that “37 disparate forces (36 states + FCT) could create border nightmares endless checkpoints, extortion, and harassment for travelers.” States with limited resources may create units that are similar to vigilantes in terms of equipment and training.
Additionally, “Governors could weaponize forces for electoral manipulation, ethnic targeting, or political vendettas.” National accountability and uniformity would be compromised by inconsistent policies. Conflicts between jurisdictions and intelligence silos may increase security vulnerabilities.
He emphasized that “these risks echo concerns in ongoing debates, including fears of decentralized despotism and historical abuses” and stated that localized control can intensify ethnic or community mistrust.
Regarding the advantages of regional police, Dr. Anthony pointed out that it is a practical, well-balanced step toward real federalism reform.
Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones—North West, North East, North Central, South East, South West, and South-South—offer devolution that improves responsiveness without 37-way anarchy, he stated. While maintaining national unity, it adjusts security to local crime trends, cultures, and dynamics.
He advised Nigeria to modify its regional policing models by incorporating 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 that regional police reforms promote true federalism.
President Tinubu’s audacious call for decentralized security is visionary 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 strains Nigeria’s federation while avoiding the dangers of state-level fragmentation.
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