Former Lawmaker Backs State Police Bill, Dismisses Concerns Over Potential Abuse

Senator Ayodele Arise, a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has formally commended President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly for the passage of the State Police Bill. The former senator, who represented Ekiti North between 2007 and 2011, described the legislation as a landmark reform necessary to tackle Nigeria’s complex security challenges.

During a press conference held in Abuja on Thursday, Arise argued that decentralized policing would significantly improve intelligence gathering and emergency response times. He emphasized that local security agents are naturally better positioned to understand the terrain and the specific needs of their communities compared to a centralized federal system.

“There is no way security challenges will be eliminated entirely, but kudos to Mr. President for being proactive,” Arise stated. “Local police agents already know the community and the people who reside there; they know the nooks and crannies of those environments.”

Addressing concerns regarding the potential for state governors to weaponize local police forces for political intimidation, the former lawmaker acknowledged that such apprehensions are legitimate. However, he expressed confidence that constitutional safeguards could effectively mitigate these risks.

Arise pointed to multi-layered policing systems in countries like Canada and the United States as models for successful decentralization, noting that Nigeria’s transition will require robust checks and balances. He suggested that the appointment of state police chiefs should not be left solely to the discretion of governors.

“Someone like me will suggest that in appointing the police chief, there should be an input from the legislature,” Arise proposed. “We could have a state police commission that recommends two or three names for the governor to choose from, which could then be passed to the state legislature for ratification.”

The passage of the bill by the National Assembly marks a major shift in the ongoing constitutional amendment process. If ratified by at least 24 state houses of assembly, the move will effectively end the federal government’s exclusive control over policing in Nigeria, shifting the power to establish and manage law enforcement to individual states within national standards.