State police will give governors genuine authority as chief security officers: Lawal

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has strongly endorsed the establishment of state police, arguing it is crucial for effectively tackling Nigeria's persistent insecurity. Speaking at the Arise News Town Hall Summit on State Police and National Security, Lawal asserted that such a system would empower governors with genuine authority as chief security officers of their respective states.

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We’re being called chief security officers of our respective states; however, the command and control structure is not under the governors.

Lawal highlighted that the current command and control structure for security forces does not rest with state chief executives, which he believes has hindered efforts to combat crime. He stated that granting state governments responsibility for security within their domains would lead to better-equipped police forces with adequate personnel to address criminal activities.

"We're being called chief security officers of our respective states; however, the command and control structure is not under the governors," Lawal explained. He expressed satisfaction with the recent developments regarding state police, seeing it as a mechanism to align responsibilities with accountability for the security situation in each state.

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I am happy with the recent development of state police because it allows us to keep to our responsibilities and for our people also to hold us accountable as far as the security situation is concerned in our respective states.

While acknowledging concerns about potential abuse of power by state executives, Lawal dismissed these fears, pointing to existing state-level security apparatuses that have not been used to oppress opposition. He urged lawmakers to establish robust measures to prevent any misuse of state police powers, stating, "I support state police. I recognise people’s fears of possible abuse, but with the right processes in place, those fears will be allayed."

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I strongly believe that, by the time we have state police, it will go a long way in solving a lot of the challenges, and we can then bear our names as proper chief security officers of our respective states.

The summit aimed to foster a national consensus on state police and broader security reforms, bringing together various stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for enhancing community safety and protecting lives across Nigeria.

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I support state police. I recognise people’s fears of possible abuse, but with the right processes in place, those fears will be allayed.