ABUJA — The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party has officially declared its absolute support for the proposed constitutional establishment of state policing across the federation. The main national opposition platform insisted that immediate structural reforms to Nigeria's domestic security apparatus must take full precedence, warning that deep-seated political interests and partisan bickering should not be allowed to derail genuine, institutional efforts to address the country’s complex and worsening security challenges.
Speaking during a detailed press briefing on Friday afternoon, the political party addressed widespread public concerns regarding the potential weaponization of regional law enforcement agencies by incumbent state executives. The party argued that the collective fear of state police being occasionally abused by local politicians should not prevent the country from adopting a decentralized, modern policing system. The party maintained that such a structural shift is uniquely capable of improving grassroots intelligence gathering and restoring public safety across all thirty-six states of the federation.
Addressing gathered journalists at the party's national secretariat, the newly appointed PDP National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, stated that the party fully shares the deep anxieties of everyday Nigerians over the rising wave of kidnapping, banditry, and localized unrest. He emphasized that the opposition platform is fully prepared to support any progressive legislative or executive initiative that offers a lasting, institutional solution to the ongoing security crisis.
“We cannot allow narrow political considerations or fear-mongering to prevent us from embracing bold, structural initiatives that will fundamentally strengthen national security,” Mohammed stated during the press engagement.
The opposition spokesman maintained that a well-structured, constitutionally bound state police system would legally empower local communities to take greater responsibility for safeguarding their immediate geographic areas, while serving as a highly effective complement to existing national security formations like the Nigeria Police Force and the military.
“We believe that, if properly established, legally insulated, and thoroughly safeguarded against administrative abuse, state police will help reduce insecurity. Local communities should take responsibility for protecting their environments from criminal elements seeking to destabilize them. In the long run, this will make Nigeria a more peaceful, productive, and secure country for everyone,” he added.
While acknowledging the validity of fears raised by civil society groups regarding potential political interference from state governors, Mohammed offered a pragmatic breakdown of the potential risk matrices. He argued that structural abuses would most likely occur during high-stakes election periods, which only take place periodically, rather than during routine, day-to-day civic life.
“While I agree that politicians could misuse state police, such abuse is likely to occur mainly during election periods, which come around only once every four years,” the publicity secretary added, suggesting that the everyday security benefits to citizens far outweigh periodic electoral anxieties.
The spokesman also pointed to several developed countries with decentralized policing systems, noting that Nigeria could successfully implement a similar security model if the foundational process is built on transparency, strict judicial oversight, and public trust.
“Countries such as the United States operate highly effective state and local police systems, so this is a welcome development for our democracy. We hope the implementation of state policing will be guided by extensive public sensitization, absolute transparency, and ironclad institutional accountability. However, we urge our regional leaders to administer the state police with the fear of God. They must also heavily embrace technology in the fight against insecurity. That is non-negotiable and remains the official position of our party,” Mohammed said.
The PDP’s public stance introduces a significant dynamic into the ongoing constitutional amendment debate within the National Assembly. With the main opposition party aligning with the core concepts of decentralization, legislative analysts believe the state policing bill may secure the required cross-party consensus to pass through the federal chambers and the various state houses of assembly. The party concluded by calling on federal lawmakers to ensure that the final draft of the bill includes strict financial and operational checks to prevent state governors from withholding funding or using the new police forces to intimidate political rivals, thereby preserving the integrity of the historic security reform.
