The ongoing national conversation on the establishment of state police has continued to generate mixed reactions across Nigeria's political landscape. While supporters argue that decentralising policing could improve security and enable faster responses to local threats, others believe the country should first address the longstanding problem of poor implementation of existing laws.
One of the latest voices to express reservations is Senator Garba Maidoki, who represents Kebbi South Senatorial District in the National Assembly. Speaking during an appearance on Politics Today, the lawmaker questioned whether introducing state police would automatically solve Nigeria's worsening security challenges if existing laws are not properly enforced.
"We have laws. Let's practise what we have first so that we can see the difference and we can see the gap. Whatever is in the law today has no meaning, has not been practised. What is the guarantee that any alteration, anything, can be practised?" Senator Maidoki said.
His remarks come amid renewed efforts by the Federal Government to amend the Constitution to establish state police as part of broader security reforms. The proposal seeks to create a constitutional framework that would allow states to operate their own police services alongside the Nigeria Police Force, a move many believe could strengthen grassroots security and improve intelligence gathering.
However, Senator Maidoki insists that Nigeria's biggest challenge is not necessarily the absence of laws but the consistent failure to implement those already in place. According to him, introducing new legislation without demonstrating the political will to enforce existing legal provisions may produce little or no meaningful improvement.
The senator argued that before embarking on another constitutional amendment, government authorities should first evaluate the effectiveness of current security laws, identify implementation gaps, and ensure institutions responsible for enforcement are adequately empowered and held accountable.
His position reflects a broader concern often raised by legal experts, civil society organisations and governance advocates—that Nigeria frequently enacts ambitious laws and policies but struggles with effective implementation. Challenges such as inadequate funding, political interference, weak institutional capacity and poor accountability mechanisms have repeatedly undermined the impact of several reforms across different sectors.
The debate over state police has remained one of the most significant constitutional issues in recent years. Advocates believe state-controlled policing would enable quicker responses to local security threats, improve intelligence gathering and strengthen community policing. They also argue that governors, as chief security officers of their states, should have greater operational control over policing within their jurisdictions.
Opponents, however, fear that state police could be abused by state governments for political purposes, particularly during elections or in disputes involving opposition figures. They maintain that unless strong constitutional safeguards and independent oversight mechanisms are established, decentralising policing could create fresh governance and human rights concerns.
For Senator Maidoki, the discussion should begin with demonstrating that Nigeria can faithfully implement existing laws before introducing new constitutional arrangements. In his view, successful governance depends not only on drafting legislation but also on ensuring that institutions faithfully execute the laws already enacted.
His comments have added another important perspective to the national conversation on security reform, highlighting the need for accountability, institutional effectiveness and the consistent application of the rule of law.
As Nigeria continues to confront challenges ranging from terrorism and banditry to kidnapping and communal violence, the debate over state police is expected to remain central to discussions on how best to strengthen the country's security architecture. Whether through constitutional amendments or improved enforcement of existing laws, many observers agree that lasting security reforms will ultimately depend on effective implementation rather than legislation alone.
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