ARISE Town Hall Meeting: Stakeholders Seek Safeguards From Abuse of State Police

A broad national consensus is emerging in Nigeria for the establishment of state police, with governors, federal lawmakers, security chiefs, and legal experts advocating for sweeping reforms. The consensus was solidified at the ARISE News Town Hall on Building a National Consensus for State Police and National Security in Abuja.

Participants agreed that Nigeria's escalating insecurity has highlighted the shortcomings of the current centralized policing system. However, they cautioned that the success of state police hinges on crucial elements: adequate funding, judicial reforms, operational safeguards, robust intelligence sharing, local government autonomy, and constitutional amendments.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, delivering the keynote address, lauded the concept of state police as a "step in the right direction," acknowledging Nigeria's vast geography and complex security landscape. He contrasted Nigeria's situation with Israel's highly centralized model, which he noted works due to its significantly smaller size.

“

In terms of geography, Israel is probably 40 times smaller than Nigeria. Within two hours’ drive, you cover almost 90 per cent of the population. Nigeria is a totally different country. I strongly believe the idea of having state police is a very good start in the right direction.

Barak warned that decentralization must be accompanied by carefully crafted legislation to prevent political manipulation. He proposed that state police operate within a national framework, granting the president limited emergency powers during crises while ensuring transparency through central oversight. He stressed that intelligence gathering, rather than just military deployment, is key to combating terrorism, urging Nigeria to strengthen community-level human intelligence networks while maintaining centralized control over signal intelligence.

The former prime minister also advised against the routine performance of law enforcement duties by military forces, emphasizing that policing requires distinct skills, community engagement, and a different operational culture. He encouraged Nigeria to draw upon international experiences while adapting reforms to its unique context.

“

Nigeria is a totally different country. I strongly believe the idea of having state police is a very good start in the right direction.