As the House of Representatives gathered stakeholders in Abuja to deliberate on the nation’s security architecture in the proposed 1999 Constitution review to end the security challenges in the country both the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, and the Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly expressed divergent views on the creation of State Police.

This came just after the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep Abbas Tajudeen assured that the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) would strengthen and reposition the nation’s security architecture to be able to confront existing and emerging security challenges that now threaten her existence.

The trio spoke at the constitutional review legislative dialogue on the natural security architecture with the theme “Nigeria’s peace and security: the constitutional imperative” organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

In his submission, IGP Egbetokun declared, rather than giving legal backing to State Police, the National Assembly should strengthen and fund the Nigerian Police Force to carry out its constitutional responsibilities while the Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly Hon Debo Ogundoyin said that Conference was in full support of the creation of state Police to adequately address multifaceted security challenges in the country with multi-level policing which includes allowing for the establishment of state Police.

Defending his position, the Police boss pointed out said the Nigerian Police was constitutionally established under section 214(1) of the 1999 constitution as amended, which provides that “there shall be a police force for Nigeria which shall be known as the Nigerian police force and subject to the provisions of this section, no other police force shall be established for the federation or any part thereof”.

“Furthermore, section 215(1) provides for the appointment of the Inspector General of Police by the President on the advice of the Nigerian Police Council. It also places the operational command and administration of the force under the leadership of Inspector General of Police’.

“These constitutional provisions make clear the centralized character of policing in Nigeria and the operational authority entrusted to the Inspector General of Police under the supervision of the President and Police Council.

“As we gather here this morning to review the constitutional underpinnings of our security framework, we must admit that legal centralisation without operational decentralisation has imposed several of the Nigerian Police Force to effectively distract its mandate across Nigeria’s diverse terrain.

“Our national security landscape is growing increasingly complex. From the insurgency in the northeast, banditry, and kidnapping in northwest and central regions, to secessionist violence in the southeast, and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, we are confronted with a multifaceted array of tracks, each exposing gaps not only in our security capabilities but more fundamentally in our constitutional architecture and constitutional institutional coordination mechanisms.

The 1999 constitution, the way it is, has created certain omissions that impede the effective performance of the Nigerian Police Force and other security agencies to best address these challenges.

“This includes the lack of clarity on interagency command in joint operations, absence of a constitutional framework for intelligence sharing and fusion, restrictions on subsidiary policing frameworks like community and state policing, and constitutional silence on the vagueness of border security.

“These challenges underscore the objective to recalibrate our national security framework, especially as it pertains to command authority, policy structure, intelligence coordination, and the legislative underpinnings that govern them. Most importantly, previous national security summits and engagements have resulted in strong communiques and robust recommendations.

“It is therefore commendable that this dialogue is not just designed to generate ideas but to drive constitutional amendments and legislative reforms gaps which do not address areas of operational command, intelligence, fusion, and policing jurisdiction.

“These ambiguities, at times hampered effective joint operations, blurred lines of responsibility, and created avoidable friction.

“As the Inspector General of Police, I must emphasize the importance of clarifying operational command authority, especially in joint theaters where federal, state, and local security companies must work seamlessly.

“A lack of positional clarity in this area can and has led to judicial disputes, diluted accountability, and delayed tactical responses in life-threatening situations. Furthermore, intelligence-sharing mechanisms require not only statutory reinforcement but also constitutional embedding.

“Without a clear constitutional framework for timely, secure, and mandatory intelligence exchange, we cannot effectively preempt or neutralize imagined trends”.

While Speaking on the clamor for state police, Egbetokun said “One of the most pressing and controversial issues under discussion today is the proposal to amend the constitution to allow for the establishment of state police, including the evaluation of HB 617, which seeks to provide legislative authority for this.

“Let me state unequivocally that the National Police Force acknowledges the rationale behind the demand for state police, including the desire for locally responsive policing, quicker reaction to community-level threats, and decentralized law enforcement presence.

“However, our assessment based on current political, institutional, and social-economic realities suggests that Nigeria is not yet decisional or politically prepared for the initialization of police powers at the state level.

“Key concerns include the possibility of political misuse of police powers at the state level, lack of funding capacity by most states to maintain and equip a state control force, the potential for fragmentation of national security, intelligence, and command, the absence of a regulatory architecture to ensure standard and operational cohesion.

“Instead of fragmenting our policy authority, we propose that the focus of constitutional and legislative reform be directed towards strengthening the Nigerian Police Force through improved funding and autonomy, establishing state and community policing frameworks under the Nigerian Police Force’s provision, standardise recruitment, training, and discipline across any policing functions.

“We urge the National Assembly to consider legislative reforms that prioritize enhanced federal policing capacity while allowing for structured auxiliary support from sub-national units under strict constitutional and operational safeguards”.

While defending the support of the state Police, Hon Ogundoyin said the state Houses of Assembly have an unwavering commitment to strengthen the nation’s security institutions and would continue to inspire confidence in the connected resolve to safeguard this nation.

According to him, “As the Speakers House of Assembly nationwide, we know exactly where the issue pinches when it comes to security because we all face our various types of insecurity in our various states.

“We know that the president’s commitment is unwavering in strengthening our security institutions and to continuously inspire confidence in our collective resolve.”

The theme of this dialogue, Nigeria’s case of security constitutional imperatives, is not only apt but comes at a defining moment of our constitutional journey. As presiding officers of the 36th State House of Assembly, we are first-hand witnesses to the alarming toll that insecurity continues to enact on our lives, livelihood, and government.

“From insurgency in the northeast, banditry and kidnapping in the northwest and North Central to harders and farmers clashes in the North Central and also all across the South which directly affects food security which is another issue that is very important for us to address and protect.

“Therefore, this is an opportunity to align our legislative priorities with the realities faced by our people ensuring that the constitutional and legal framework of security evolves to be the present and future challenges of the Nigerian police force and other agencies who despite working under extremely challenging conditions continue to make sacrifices to protect our nation.

“Yet it is now evident that centralised policing structure, no matter how well-intentioned, has become overstretched. It is on this basis the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, subscribes partially to the establishment of state police and constitutional imperative.

“This is not merely a political position, it is a patriotic and strategic necessity. We recognize that concerns have been raised regarding the potential abuse, the capacity, the limitations, and inter-jurisdictional conflict.

“But these are not insurmountable challenges because everyone at the present situation of things. The Nigeria Police Force also faces challenges and the state government across the federation supports them in their day-to-day work.

“With constitutional safeguards, clear command structures, legislative clarity, independent oversight mechanisms, and well-defined frameworks for inter-agency collaboration, state police can become a force for justice, accountability, and grassroots protection.

“This is the voice of subnationals in this federation. Whether we like it or not, we have to recognise that the 36 states and the FCT make up Nigeria, and the Nigerian people are here calling for state police. However, we’ll get it done.

“We recognise the concerns also that. Beyond state policing, the conference also lends its voice to the need for enhanced intelligence sharing and interagency coordination, improved funding, training, and welfare for security personnel, and a stronger legal framework to address emerging threats such as cybercrime, transnational terrorism, and arms reformation.

“As just as the chairman of the EFCC has also pointed out, with new challenges, we have to also evolve solutions to it. Your Excellencies, the Swinish guests, we are confident that the outcome of this dialogue will not only enrich the ongoing constitutional review process for those who need a ground law for sustainable peace, strengthen institutions, and restore public trust in our collective ability to protect Nigeria.”

The conference of speakers stands fully committed to supporting the vision and we are ready to play our part in ushering in a new era of constitutional clarity and national security reforms. We owe this to our people, we owe this to Nigeria, and we owe it to the next generation.

Speaking, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep Abbas Tajudeen assured that the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) would strengthen and reposition the nation’s security architecture to be able to confront existing and emerging security challenges that now threaten her existence.

He stated that ” the Constitutional Imperatives,” highlights the urgent need to review existing laws, close and streamline overlapping, and enact new ones to strengthen and reposition our security architecture to be able to confront existing and emerging security challenges that now threaten our nation.

“The complex and dynamic nature of these security challenges demands new approaches and strategies that are multi-dimensional, adaptable, inclusive, and technology-driven.

“However, these new approaches and strategies must be backed by legal and institutional frameworks that would ensure enhanced capacity, capability, and competence for overall effectiveness.”

The Speaker disclosed that the dialogue was being organized and organised by the Constitution Review Committee of the House to bring together stakeholders, experts, and security agencies to share their expertise and experiences in the areas of security governance and operations while identifying inherent constitutional challenges that have hindered progress over the years.

He further added that the dialogue, therefore, intended to deepen discussions on the constitution review by focusing on how best to achieve comprehensive security and policing reforms, improve cooperation and coordination between security agencies, enhance border security for national and regional stability as well as make inputs into proposed security-related bills including the bill that seeks to establish state police.

He pointed out that the dialogue came as a precursor to the National Security Summit to be hosted soon by the House to comprehensively address the security challenges in our country from the legislative perspective.

He expressed optimism that the outcome of the dialogue would further enrich the work of the Committee which would meet the expectations of Nigerians.

He commended the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, and other Members of the Committee for their steadfast commitment and dedication to the important national assignment since the inauguration of the Committee in 2024.

He pointed out that the milestones recorded so far in this onerous assignment deserve our commendation and recognition. I am optimistic that the outcome of today’s dialogue will further enrich the work of the Committee to meet the expectations of Nigerians.

He pointed out that right from the inception of the 10th House in June 2023, it had recognized the negative impact of insecurity on the economy and social fabric of Nigerian society as a major national challenge. Terrorism, banditry, piracy, militancy, and oil theft in different parts of the country combined to make life difficult for Nigerians.

According to him, “We therefore resolved to take the necessary legislative measures that would support the government’s drive to end insecurity.

” Therefore, beyond the motions and bills introduced by the House, we have also taken several practical steps to improve security governance in Nigeria. For example, we hosted a National Dialogue on State Policing on April 22, 2024, and a Technical Workshop on Comprehensive Police Reforms on November 7–8, 2024. Both events focused on finding ways to make our police force more accountable and better suited to local needs. We also organized a Retreat on Strengthening Security Oversight from November 2–3, 2023, which helped to broaden our understanding of how different arms of government can work together to improve security management.

Speaking through the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu emphasized the need for a multi-pronged approach to tackling Nigeria’s evolving security challenges and called for a robust legal framework to enhance collaboration and intelligence sharing among security agencies.

The President noted that it was time to align Nigeria’s security framework with present-day realities, warning that neither full centralization nor outright fragmentation can sufficiently guarantee the nation’s safety.

According to him “the growing calls for state police, the challenges of cybercrime and cybersecurity, and the urgent need for improved intelligence sharing demand a more adaptive and cooperative security architecture,”

He highlighted various threats from terrorism in the Northeast and banditry in the Northwest, to farmer-herder clashes in the Middle Belt and separatist agitations in the Southeast—as issues that transcend the capacity of any single agency.

According to him, the government’s integrated security strategy characterized by intelligence fusion, joint task force operations, and synchronized offensives—has yielded significant results, including the dismantling of separatist cells in the Southeast and the disruption of criminal networks in the Northwest.

“These efforts have led to a reduction in high-profile kidnappings and improved responses to cross-border threats, demonstrating the effectiveness of a whole-of-government strategy,” he said.

The President also cited strides under the Renewed Hope Agenda, including the establishment of the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre, the procurement of surveillance drones and mine-resistant vehicles, and the adoption of a community policing framework to foster public trust.

In his remarks, the Deputy Speaker who is also the Chairman of the Committee Hon Benjamin Okezie Kalu that the central aim of the engagement was to synthesise and collate, directly from the key actors of the Nation’s national security architecture, their candid perspectives on the “sickness” in the constitution that impedes the effective delivery of their mandates and proffer Workable solutions to them.

Also Speaking, the National Security Adviser, NSA Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, represented by Maj. Gen. Adamu Laka, the National Centre for Anti-Counter Terrorism Center, emphasized that constitutional structure and national security were deeply linked.

He stressed the need for a constitution that “is inclusive, proactive, and capable of addressing root causes of conflict, saying that such a constitution was essential to building national cohesion against security challenges.

Other Speakers at the occasion including the CG of the Nigerian Customs Service, Wale Adeniniyi, the Chief of Defence Staff CDS General Christopher Musa, Director General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi spoke on the need to strengthen the Nation’s laws to meet modern-day security challenges for the security agencies to perform optimally. (Nigerian Tribune)