The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has thrown his weight behind the establishment of state police, describing decentralised policing as crucial to tackling Nigeria’s escalating insecurity.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Adams expressed full agreement with the Southern Governors’ Forum, which recently renewed calls for state police as part of reforms to Nigeria’s policing system.
He commended South-West governors for leading the charge, noting: “Anybody who loves this country will not disagree with state police, considering the situation we have.”
Responding to concerns that state governors could misuse the force for political gain, Adams argued that protecting lives and property must remain the primary focus. “Let us first talk about the protection of life and property, which is the primary responsibility of any government. Partisan politics is secondary,” he said.
Adams highlighted a key flaw in the current system: the deployment of officers unfamiliar with the communities they serve. He stressed that effective policing requires personnel drawn from local environments who understand the terrain, history, and people.
Using his hometown of Arigidi-Akoko in Ondo State as an example, Adams explained that residents’ knowledge of forest routes, community history, and individuals with criminal backgrounds allows them to quickly identify threats and provide critical intelligence.
“We know our forests. We know where intruders enter. We know individuals with criminal backgrounds. Community members can provide intelligence that outsiders cannot,” he said.
He concluded that Nigeria, with its three-tier system of government, cannot rely solely on a centralised policing structure if it hopes to secure lives and property effectively.
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He maintained that for security to be effective, each tier—federal, state, and local—must be allowed to develop its own police framework.
“There is no way you can run a country with three tiers of governance but only one structure of policing. Without allowing the three tiers to have their own policing structures, you cannot achieve effective security,” he said.
Demands for state policing have intensified in recent months, driven by rising insecurity across the country.
The Southern Governors’ Forum, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, traditional rulers, civil society groups, and security experts have repeatedly called on the Federal Government to decentralise policing.
Several governors, especially from the South-West, have argued that the centralised Nigeria Police Force is overstretched and unable to respond swiftly to localised security threats.
Regional outfits such as Amotekun in the South-West and vigilante groups in the North have emerged as stopgap measures, further fuelling debate over constitutional restructuring to allow state-controlled police services.
Despite concerns about potential political misuse, advocates insist that decentralised policing is essential for intelligence gathering, quicker response times, and stronger community involvement.
Adams’ comments add to the growing pressure on the Federal Government to adopt state policing as part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening the country’s security system.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu had called on the National Assembly to review existing laws to allow states to establish their own police forces, as part of efforts to address rising insecurity across the country.
This was contained in a statement issued on November 26 by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, declaring a nationwide security emergency.
“I call on the National Assembly to begin reviewing our laws to allow states that require state police to establish them,” he said.
The President also added that his “administration will support state governments that have set up security outfits to safeguard their people from terrorists bent on disrupting our national peace.”
