Between Police and Developmental State

Nigeria is at a critical juncture in reforming its security architecture, with a significant push towards decentralizing policing powers and establishing state-level police forces. This move aims to address the nation's persistent and multifaceted security challenges, ranging from insurgencies to widespread banditry and abductions.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken a decisive step by transmitting an executive bill to the National Assembly, proposing a constitutional alteration to place policing on the Concurrent Legislative List. This would enable the creation of a dual federal-state policing structure, a departure from the current centralized National Police Force (NPF). The initiative follows a growing consensus among policymakers and citizens that the existing national policing structure requires urgent reform in both quantity and quality.

A recent dialogue hosted by Arise TV brought together key state actors, including governors and legislators, to discuss the imperatives of state and community policing. The discussions underscored the need for safeguards against political abuse of state police forces, the integration of technology through smart security infrastructure, and the importance of local government autonomy and funding. These reform efforts are characterized as gradual and inclusive, seeking stakeholder input for collective ownership and support, contrasting with the 'shock therapy' approach seen in other recent reforms.

However, a notable observation from the dialogue was the disproportionate focus on policing mechanisms compared to the welfare and development components of governance. Section 14(2)(b) of Nigeria's 1999 Constitution emphasizes that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government. While the debate on enhancing security through state police is robust, the equally crucial aspect of citizen welfare and development appears to have received less attention in these reform discussions, raising questions about whether the emerging model prioritizes a 'police state' over a 'developmental state'.

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security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government