Nigeria Faces Widespread Insecurity; Experts Call for Action on Corruption and Policing

Nigeria is grappling with a severe nationwide insecurity crisis, prompting calls for drastic measures such as declaring a state of emergency or amending the constitution to establish state police forces. Regions like Borno, Zamfara, Benue, Plateau, Kwara, Ondo, Oyo, and Imo are reportedly the most affected.

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Nigeria’s romance with corruption resulted in these security challenges

Legal professionals and public affairs analysts point to Nigeria's deep-rooted corruption as a primary driver of the escalating terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping. Joseph Bodunrin Daudu, SAN, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, argues that corrupt practices within the system undermine any security architecture. He also cited the educational background and orientation of security agents as contributing factors to the country's low security coverage.

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The South-West has historically enjoyed relative stability, but no region can remain insulated from wider national security pressures.

Adeniji Kazeem, SAN, highlighted the recent security breaches in the South-West, including student kidnappings in Oyo State, as a critical warning signal. He noted that economic hardship, population pressures, and the movement of criminal elements across states, coupled with weaknesses in preventive security structures, have contributed to the spread of organized crime into the region, which historically enjoyed relative stability.

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The perception of helplessness, stems largely from the changing nature of the threat.

Analysts perceive a sense of helplessness among authorities, largely due to the evolving nature of threats. Criminal groups are becoming more organized, mobile, and intelligence-driven, while security systems often appear reactive and stretched. Existing structures were not designed for such rapidly evolving local threats, intensifying the debate around decentralized policing. Experts stress the need for urgent, coordinated action, with state policing emerging as a serious consideration for potentially strengthening local intelligence gathering and improving response capabilities, despite constitutional limitations.

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The conversation around State policing deserves serious attention, because security closer to the people may strengthen local intelligence and improve response capability.