Senator Adams Oshiomhole has renewed calls for the establishment of state police in Nigeria, arguing that governors cannot be held responsible for security challenges without having the authority and operational tools needed to respond.
The former Edo State governor said the current constitutional arrangement creates a contradiction by naming governors as chief security officers of their states while denying them direct control over police operations, recruitment, discipline and deployment.
Speaking at the ARISE News Town Hall on State Police, Oshiomhole argued that accountability must come with authority, insisting that governors should either be removed from the position of chief security officers or be given the instruments required to perform the role.
“For me, there is an inherent contradiction. The governor is called the chief security officer, but what is the tool for enforcing security? I cannot give orders, recruit, promote or discipline officers,” Oshiomhole said.
Oshiomhole rejected arguments that Nigeria’s security challenges are mainly caused by poor funding, lack of personnel or inadequate equipment.
He maintained that while resources remain important, the centralised policing structure has limited the ability of state governments to respond effectively to local security threats.
According to him, decentralising policing would allow states to develop security systems that reflect their unique challenges while improving accountability.
The senator noted that during his tenure as Edo State governor, his administration spent significant resources providing vehicles, communication equipment and other logistics for police operations.
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However, he said the state lacked legal authority over how those resources were managed.
“I spent much more procuring vehicles and communication gadgets for the police than what the federal government provided. But when those assets are misused or stolen, I have no legal authority beyond asking questions,” he said.
Addressing concerns that governors could misuse state police for political purposes, Oshiomhole argued that abuse of security institutions already occurs under the existing system.
He said the possibility of abuse should not prevent reforms aimed at improving security delivery.
“Abuse is not peculiar to one structure. Every human being has the capacity either to use power responsibly or misuse it,” he stated.
The senator added that democratic institutions, elections and media scrutiny provide mechanisms to hold governors accountable.
“If a governor mistakes state police for his personal police and misuses them, then vote him out at the next election,” he said.
Oshiomhole also shared experiences from his time as governor, claiming that some security decisions taken by state officials were sometimes overturned by authorities in Abuja.
He recalled cases where suspects arrested by the police in Edo State were allegedly released following directives from the federal level.
The senator also referenced conflicting reports from security agencies following the killing of one of his personal assistants, saying the situation exposed the limitations governors face when they have no operational control over security agencies.
Oshiomhole argued that Nigeria cannot continue repeating the same security strategies while expecting different results.
He pointed to countries such as the United States, where state and federal police structures operate alongside each other, saying multiple security systems can complement rather than compete.
He also highlighted the creation of agencies such as the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps as evidence that Nigeria already recognises the need for specialised security institutions.
According to him, state police would make it easier for Nigerians to identify who should be held responsible when security failures occur.
“If citizens are shouting, ‘Governor, I am under attack,’ then let the governor deploy his men. If he fails, the people should vote against him,” Oshiomhole said.
The debate over state police remains one of Nigeria’s most contested security reform issues, with supporters arguing it will improve local response and accountability, while critics continue to raise concerns about possible political misuse.
For Oshiomhole, however, giving governors operational control over policing is essential if they are expected to carry responsibility for security within their states.
