The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed support for the establishment of state police in Nigeria but strongly criticised the Bola Tinubu administration’s handling of the reform, describing it as a hurried reaction to the country’s security challenges rather than a well-thought-out institutional overhaul.
In a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party said it has long advocated for decentralised policing to align with Nigeria’s federal structure.
However, it warned that the current push lacks the necessary safeguards for professionalism, accountability, and effective oversight.
“The African Democratic Congress supports state police. We have always believed that Nigeria’s policing architecture must evolve to reflect the realities of our federal system. But support for state police cannot be confused with support for the Tinubu administration’s handling of this important national reform,” the statement read.
The ADC argued that the government’s effort represents “a hurried response to a worsening security crisis, not the careful institutional planning required to build a functional, accountable, and effective policing system.”
It rejected attempts to present state police as a novel idea, noting that the concept has been part of Nigeria’s constitutional debate for decades.
The party further criticised the speed of the legislative process in the National Assembly, emphasising that such far-reaching constitutional changes require broad public consultation and stakeholder engagement.
“Instead, what we are seeing is a government in desperate haste to amend the Constitution in order to create the impression that it is doing something about the country’s worsening insecurity,” the statement added.
The ADC questioned the timing of the initiative, asking why the administration waited until near the end of its tenure to rush the amendment if it was genuinely committed to the reform.
It warned that creating viable state police forces would demand substantial long-term investments in recruitment, training, funding, equipment, and independent oversight mechanisms processes that cannot be rushed.
The party also raised concerns about potential political abuse, querying what safeguards would prevent state police from being used for intimidation and whether state institutions have the independence needed for proper oversight.
While supporting genuine security strengthening measures, the ADC stressed that state police should not replace comprehensive reforms of the Nigeria Police Force, judiciary, correctional services, and intelligence systems.
It described the current approach as “political theatre” rather than serious institution-building.
The National Assembly is currently considering constitutional amendments to enable states to establish their own police services amid heightened concerns over terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping across the country.
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