Nigeria must embrace a decentralised policing system to effectively address its growing security challenges, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has said, while cautioning against the possibility of state and national political actors abusing such a structure for personal or political interests.
The senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District said the current centralised structure of the Nigeria Police Force has limited the country’s ability to respond effectively to local security threats, arguing that communities require policing systems that understand their unique challenges.
Akpoti-Uduaghan said decentralised policing has proven effective in several established democracies, including the United States and the United Kingdom, where different levels of government operate policing structures tailored to their respective communities.
“I am in support of decentralising the police force,” she said. “In most democratic societies, whether it’s America or the United Kingdom, they operate a decentralised system of policing.”
However, the senator stressed that the introduction of state police must come with strong safeguards to prevent political interference, intimidation and misuse of security institutions by powerful actors.
“My concern is the abuse of this state police by both state and national political actors,” she added.
The debate over state policing has remained a major issue in Nigeria, with advocates arguing that local police forces would improve intelligence gathering, response time and community trust. Critics, however, have raised concerns that state governors and political leaders could use such forces to target opponents or undermine democratic freedoms.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, has faced increasing security challenges ranging from armed banditry and terrorism to kidnapping and communal conflicts. Many experts have argued that a one-size-fits-all policing model may no longer be sufficient for a country with diverse security realities across its regions.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s comments add to growing calls among lawmakers, civil society groups and security experts for reforms aimed at creating a more responsive and accountable security architecture.
She said any move towards decentralised policing must be accompanied by clear constitutional protections, oversight mechanisms and institutional independence to ensure that security forces serve citizens rather than political interests.
