The Minority Leader of the 9th House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Godwin Elumelu, OON, has expressed support for the establishment of state police, arguing that a decentralised policing system could enhance community security and deepen the practice of federalism in Nigeria.
Elumelu stated this in his goodwill message at the 2nd Annual House of Representatives Press Corps Distinguished Parliamentary Lecture held in Abuja on Tuesday.
The lecture, themed, “The Imperative for State Police: Securing Communities, Strengthening Federalism,” brought together lawmakers, journalists, academics, civil society representatives, security experts and other stakeholders to examine the prospects, challenges and wider implications of establishing state police in Nigeria.
Elumelu said the debate had assumed greater urgency amid persistent security challenges and concerns over the capacity of the existing policing structure to respond effectively to threats across the country.
He argued that policing was not merely a security issue but also a question of governance, constitutional responsibility and the appropriate balance of powers among the different tiers of government.
According to him, citizens expect security institutions to understand the peculiarities of their communities and respond swiftly and effectively to threats to lives and property.
“This naturally raises the question of whether our current policing architecture provides sufficient room for local responsiveness while maintaining national standards, professionalism and cohesion,” he said.
While supporting the principle of state police, Elumelu cautioned that its establishment must be guided by the national interest and anchored on a robust institutional framework capable of preventing political interference and abuse of power.
He stressed that any state policing arrangement must incorporate effective safeguards for the protection of citizens’ rights, insisting that professionalism, accountability, respect for human rights and independent oversight should remain central to its operation.
The former House Minority Leader also emphasised the importance of adequate training, welfare, equipment and sustainable funding, noting that structural reform without properly trained and equipped personnel would not deliver the desired improvement in public security.
Elumelu further situated the state police debate within the broader question of federalism, saying a functional federal system should preserve national unity while giving federating units sufficient capacity to address the peculiar security and developmental needs of their people.
“Federalism, at its best, is about achieving an effective balance between national unity and the capacity of federating units to respond meaningfully to the realities and aspirations of their people,” he said.
He therefore called for sustained national dialogue, constitutional reflection and institutional reforms to evolve a policing framework that would promote effective community-based security without compromising national cohesion.
Elumelu also underscored the responsibility of the media in shaping the national conversation, describing the parliamentary press corps as an important component of democratic accountability and informed public discourse.
He urged journalists to provide accurate and balanced information, encourage constructive debate and continue to hold public institutions accountable as discussions on policing, security and federalism evolve.
The former Minority Leader commended the House of Representatives Press Corps for convening the lecture, expressing confidence that the engagement would contribute useful perspectives to policymakers and other stakeholders on the reform of Nigeria’s policing architecture.
The lecture came amid renewed national debate over the effectiveness of the country’s centralised policing system and the search for reforms that can bring security closer to citizens while safeguarding professionalism, accountability and national unity.
