PORT HARCOURT — Stakeholders in the South-South have renewed calls for a constitutional amendment to pave the way for state police, insisting that clear legality provisions and jurisdictional boundaries are essential to prevent conflicts between state and federal forces.
In a survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) across Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Cross River states, respondents expressed divergent views on the proposal.
While supporters argued that state police would address worsening insecurity and improving response time, opponents warned of political abuse and weak institutional safeguards.
There was, however, broad agreement that any move to establish state police must be anchored on amendments to the 1999 Constitution and a robust legal framework.
In Akwa Ibom, Prof. Aniekam Brown, a criminologist at the University of Uyo, said that state police could not be established under the current federal structure without constitutional amendment.
He argued that while the idea was welcome, the federal police must remain structurally stronger, with detailed legislation to define powers, limits and coordination to avoid friction.
Brown cautioned that Nigerians should expect initial challenges, stressing that the law must clearly spell out where the authority of state police ends and that of the federal police begins, particularly in politically sensitive situations.
Also speaking, Mr Ansalem Eyo, a legal practitioner and Chairman of the Association of Retired Police Officers in Akwa Ibom, said Sections 214 to 216 of the Constitution establish the police as a federal institution, making amendment inevitable.
He noted that state police could enhance community relations and response time due to better knowledge of local terrain and culture, but raised concerns about sustainability, funding and uniform standards across states.
Eyo said effective policing would require a complementary arrangement in which state police handle state laws while the federal police retain responsibility for federal offences.
Another lawyer, Mr Oyibio Okon, backed constitutional amendment and urged the National Assembly to enact a clear legal framework to forestall conflicts.
He said state police could strengthen internal security if properly funded, but warned that the arrangement should not be mandatory for all states, given disparities in financial capacity.
Okon also cautioned against potential political misuse, especially during elections.
Mr Assam Abia called for a national state policing framework, alongside state-specific laws defining structure, recruitment, funding, oversight and discipline in line with national standards.
He proposed the establishment of state police service commissions, security trust funds, strong accountability mechanisms and clearly demarcated responsibilities, with the federal police retaining control over terrorism, arms trafficking, cybercrime and interstate offences.
In Rivers State, public affairs analyst Mrs Nsima Ebiti supported phased implementation through pilot programmes, arguing that insecurity required decentralised solutions.
She said many federal systems successfully operate multi-level policing without undermining national unity, provided laws are clear and institutions strong.
Similarly, Mr Istifanus Amana, a legal practitioner, said state police were vital to tackling grassroots crimes such as kidnapping, cultism and armed robbery, which have overstretched federal agencies.
He stressed the need for constitutional safeguards, independent oversight, transparent funding and joint operations with the federal police.
Dr Isa Ado, a private security contractor, said fears of conflict between state and federal police would be unfounded if roles were clearly defined by law.
He advocated structured coordination, unified training standards and federal supervision of critical operations.
However, opposition voices were strong. Chief Chibundu Uhegbu, an ADC chieftain in Rivers, warned that Nigeria was not prepared for state police, citing weak institutions, ethnic politics and the risk of governors using the force to harass opponents and manipulate elections.
In Cross River, senior lawyer Mr Fidelis Onybueke shared similar concerns, arguing that decentralization could worsen abuse by local elites.
He suggested strengthening centralised policing by recruiting officers to serve in their states of origin instead.
Country Director of Citizens Solution Network, Mr Richard Inoyo, also opposed the proposal, citing poor leadership, lack of accountability and misuse of security votes by governors. He said that if state police were ever to be created, it must strictly follow constitutional procedures, including approvals by two-thirds of the National Assembly and state assemblies, as well as presidential assent.
Inoyo added that deep public mistrust of political actors meant Nigeria should prioritise accountability and police reform before embracing state-controlled policing, even as he dismissed fears of federal-state clashes if jurisdictions were clearly defined.
