As momentum builds for the establishment of state police in Nigeria, a former Director-General of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Major General Victor Ezugwu (retd.), has urged policymakers to avoid a rushed implementation, warning that poorly defined operational boundaries could create fresh security challenges.
Ezugwu, the first Nigerian to produce a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle, made the call while speaking as a panelist at the Nigerian People’s Strategic Conference (NPSC) and Defence Exhibition 2026 in Abuja.
While welcoming the progress made by the National Assembly on the state police initiative, the retired military officer stressed that the success of the proposed security structure would depend largely on a clear legal and operational framework that defines the responsibilities of both federal and state policing authorities.
According to him, the Federal Government, the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force, lawmakers, legal experts and other stakeholders must jointly establish where the powers of state police begin and end, and the extent of the authority that should remain with the federal police.
“What I think I should suggest is that the Inspector-General of Police, state commissioners of police, legislators and all stakeholders who will midwife the state police should sit down and discuss where state police powers start and end, and where federal police powers begin and end,” he said.
Ezugwu warned that overlapping responsibilities could fuel institutional rivalries, noting that even existing federal security agencies have experienced clashes over operational mandates.
Citing reported confrontations involving military and paramilitary personnel, he said the emergence of state police without adequate coordination could further complicate Nigeria’s security landscape.
“You saw what happened when the President went to Bayelsa. You see naval personnel fighting with soldiers, and you also see Customs and Immigration officers having disagreements. If agencies under the same federal structure can have such issues, it will require careful planning when state police comes into existence,” he added.
Although he applauded the House of Representatives for passing the state police bill, Ezugwu cautioned against focusing solely on the attractiveness of the proposal without thoroughly examining its details.
“I’m happy the way the House of Representatives has passed it, but one thing about Nigerian laws is that when they are passed, they often look very good on the surface. When you begin to dissect them page by page and line by line, you may notice gaps,” he said.
He expressed confidence that the Senate would strengthen the legislation, commending Senator Osita Izunaso’s assurance that lawmakers would address any shortcomings before the bill’s final passage.
The retired general also called for the active participation of the Nigerian Bar Association, constitutional lawyers and the judiciary in shaping the legal framework for state policing, arguing that they would ultimately interpret and enforce the laws governing the relationship between federal and state security agencies.
Beyond the legal framework, Ezugwu advocated a phased implementation strategy, proposing a transition period after the bill becomes law to allow for planning, training and institutional coordination.
“It is not a good thing to haphazardly pass this bill, make it a law and ask state governors to start implementing it immediately. If it is passed this year, it can become effective in one year’s time so that all the necessary planning can be done,” he said.
He further recommended that existing community-based and paramilitary security organisations, including the Civilian Joint Task Force, forest guards, hunters’ associations, rangers and other local security groups, be integrated into the proposed system to improve intelligence gathering and strengthen collaboration across all levels of security operations.
The renewed debate over state policing comes amid growing legislative support for the reform.
Earlier at the conference, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, announced that the House had passed the Constitution Alteration Bill on State Police, a landmark legislation he sponsored, describing it as a significant step toward tackling the country’s security challenges.
He urged the Senate and state Houses of Assembly to expedite action on the bill, insisting that the initiative should be viewed as a patriotic national project rather than a political contest.
Similarly, Senator Osita Izunaso, representing Imo West Senatorial District, said the Senate was expected to pass the bill within the next two weeks after fine-tuning provisions to close identified gaps.
The conference, convened by Dr Charles Awuzie, was held under the theme, “Building a Modern Security Ecosystem: Integrating Private Sector Capacity into Nigeria’s National Security Architecture,” with participants advocating stronger collaboration between government and non-state actors in addressing the nation’s security concerns.
In his closing remarks, co-convener Dr Mohammed Sani Abubakar acknowledged his initial reservations about state policing but said the discussions had persuaded him to support a cautious trial of the initiative.
“We should give it a try. If there are issues along the way, we can fine-tune it,” he said, reflecting a growing consensus that security reforms should evolve through careful implementation and continuous review.
