Just as momentum builds for the creation of state police in Nigeria, a retired senior police officer has issued a stark warning that the proposed reform could worsen insecurity instead of solving it. The caution comes days after the Senate passed the State Police Bill, a move many Nigerians have hailed as a breakthrough in the fight against crime.
Retired Deputy Superintendent of Police, Adamu M. Muhammad, argued that creating separate police forces across the states without first fixing the existing Nigeria Police Force (NPF) would only multiply the country’s security challenges. According to him, the nation’s policing crisis is rooted in years of neglect, poor funding, and weak institutional support rather than the absence of state-controlled police.
Muhammad maintained that successive governments failed to adequately equip and finance the NPF, leaving officers with poor welfare, inadequate operational funding, and outdated equipment. He questioned the rationale behind establishing new state police structures when the federal police system itself remains underfunded and overstretched.
The retired officer also expressed fears that Nigeria’s political environment could expose state police to abuse by governors and political interests. He warned that separate police organizations across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory could lead to inconsistent operational standards, jurisdictional conflicts, and reduced coordination in tackling terrorism, kidnapping, organized crime, and cybercrime.
Instead of creating new security institutions, Muhammad urged the government to channel resources into reforming the Nigeria Police Force through better funding, improved welfare, expanded recruitment, modern technology, stronger community policing, and greater accountability.
His remarks have added fresh intensity to the national debate over state police, with supporters insisting decentralization is necessary to address rising insecurity, while critics fear it could create new political and operational risks.
As the constitutional amendment process continues, the future of Nigeria’s policing system remains one of the country’s most hotly contested issues. Whether lawmakers will address these concerns before final approval could determine the success—or failure—of one of the nation’s most significant security reforms.
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