Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has described the passage of the State Police Bill by the National Assembly as a commendable step towards addressing Nigeria’s security challenges but warned that the legislation, as currently structured, raises serious concerns about possible political misuse.
In a statement posted on his X account on Friday, Obi said decentralising policing has long been advocated by many Nigerians, security experts and regional stakeholders because the country’s highly centralised policing structure is unsuitable for a nation as large and diverse as Nigeria.
According to him, while the legislative milestone is welcome, the implementation framework appears weak and raises legitimate constitutional and procedural concerns.
“The recent passage of the State Police Bill by the National Assembly marks a significant legislative milestone in addressing a long-standing demand of the Nigerian people,” he said.
“For years, many of us, alongside security experts and regional stakeholders, have consistently argued that a highly centralised policing structure is fundamentally unsuitable for a country as vast, diverse, and complex as Nigeria.
However, the legislative and constitutional implementation appears shaky and raises legitimate concerns.”
Obi criticised the process leading to the passage of the bill, arguing that it lacked adequate public participation and legislative scrutiny.
“The process should involve greater community participation. Policing should be more visible at the local government and community levels.
“The mechanism for passing the law appears highly disorganised, with no public hearing on such a sensitive issue.
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Indeed, the rush to enact the law without proper legislative procedures fuels suspicion among many observers about the political motives behind it,” he stated.
The former Anambra State governor expressed concern that state police forces could become instruments of political intimidation in the hands of state governors.
“The greatest concern does not arise from logistical issues; it stems from history. There is a widespread, justifiable fear that state police forces could become instruments in the hands of governors.
“The suspicion is that a state-controlled police force could be weaponised to suppress political rivals, disrupt opposition rallies, and manipulate elections,” Obi said.
He argued that for state policing to succeed, the law must establish independent oversight institutions insulated from executive interference.
“For state policing to evolve from a risky political gamble into a genuine security solution, the law must not only permit states to establish police forces but also clearly provide for independent oversight bodies, such as a state-level Police Service Commission that is entirely free from executive influence, to ensure that policing serves the public interest rather than the interests of the ruling elite,” he said.
Obi further expressed concern that the current administration could exploit state policing ahead of the 2027 general election if adequate safeguards are not put in place.
“Going by what Nigerians have seen so far, there is no guarantee that this administration can resist the temptation to take advantage of state policing to influence the 2027 general election by proxy.
“In view of that possibility and the danger it poses to the polity, it is necessary to defer its implementation until after the general election,” he added.
Obi concluded the statement with his signature slogan, “A New Nigeria is Possible.”