- Senate President stresses that decentralized security is essential for Nigeria’s vast landscape.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Monday defended the ongoing national discussion around establishing state police forces, emphasizing that the move is an act of “realism” and not a challenge to federal authority.
Speaking in Abuja at a consultative session focused on constitutional review, Akpabio stressed that Nigeria’s vast size necessitates a decentralized approach to security.
“A nation as vast as ours cannot be protected from a single command post. The call for state policing is not rebellion; it is realism,” Akpabio told an audience that included political party leaders.
The Senate President pointed to international examples where local security operates successfully alongside national forces, urging Nigeria to adopt a similar coordinated approach.
”In the United States, in India, and even in Brazil, local policing works side by side with national forces—coordinated, not conflicting,” he said.
Akpabio, however, cautioned against creating security structures that could be misused by political actors, stressing the need to protect civil liberties while improving safety.
“But in seeking safety, we must not sacrifice freedom. The hand that guards must not gag. The shield of the state must never become a sword against its citizens,” he warned.
The Senate President affirmed that the National Assembly remains committed to collaborating with all stakeholders to strengthen the nation’s democracy, noting that the constitutional review process would examine key issues, including judicial and electoral reforms, local government autonomy, and special seats for women, in addition to state policing.
