The Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission has urged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to fast-track legislative reforms that will pave the way for the establishment of state police across the country.
According to the commission, the rising wave of insecurity—ranging from terrorism and banditry to communal violence—has reached a level that requires immediate restructuring of Nigeria’s security framework.
In a statement signed by its Director-General, Dr. Seye Oyeleye, the commission warned that the nation is “at a critical juncture,” noting that violent attacks now occur in every geopolitical zone.
Oyeleye said terrorists, bandits and other criminal networks have grown increasingly bold, overwhelming communities and stretching the Nigerian Army thin as it continues to battle insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West and herder–farmer clashes in the Middle Belt.
He cautioned that without urgent legislative backing to allow states to develop their own policing and intelligence systems, Nigeria risks descending into widespread lawlessness.
The DG argued that state policing would significantly enhance community-based intelligence gathering, enable swift response to threats, and allow states to deploy strategies tailored to their unique security challenges—whether insurgency, militancy, cultism or urban crime.
Oyeleye also highlighted recent violent incidents across the country, including killings, kidnappings, destruction of communities, and attacks on places of worship as proof that existing security structures are overstretched.
He emphasised that the absence of localized policing emboldens violent groups and fuels loss of confidence in government institutions. This, he warned, could trigger the proliferation of unregulated vigilante groups and escalate ethno-religious tensions.
Addressing concerns that state police may be abused by governors, the DAWN Commission proposed constitutional safeguards, independent oversight mechanisms and strict professional standards for recruitment and operations. According to Oyeleye, such measures would ensure that state police complement federal forces rather than becoming tools of political intimidation.
He stressed that Nigeria must adopt a layered and resilient security system, adding that establishing state police is both a “legislative necessity and a moral imperative.”
“The urgency cannot be overstated,” he said. “Every day of delay costs lives, deepens mistrust, and weakens the foundations of our democracy. A reformed security architecture anchored on state police is essential to securing Nigeria’s future and restoring public confidence.”
The commission called on the National Assembly and the Presidency to prioritize the matter and enact the required constitutional and legislative amendments without further delay.
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