What Nigeria Govt Need to Establish as a Solution to Nigeria’s Security Issues – Doyin Okupe
By Adeyemi Adeleye
Dr. Doyin Okupe, the former Director-General of the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign, advocates for the creation of state police as a solution to Nigeria’s security challenges.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos, Okupe responded to increasing demands from various stakeholders for the adoption of state police to improve the country’s security situation.
Currently, the constitution only authorizes the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), a federal entity, to oversee policing across all states. One prominent advocate for state police is Prof. Pat Utomi, a political economist.
Okupe, who also served as the former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC), argued that the central police system has failed. He emphasized that states should be given constitutional authority to manage their own security.
He dismissed concerns that governors might misuse state police, stating that this is not a valid reason to reject a more effective policing system that ensures the safety of lives and property.
“We need to establish constitutional measures to prevent abuse by state governors,” Okupe said. “We cannot maintain a flawed and ineffective system out of fear. Policing must be entirely decentralized.”
Additionally, Okupe suggested that each geopolitical zone in Nigeria should have its own military force, complete with a chief of army staff, to bolster security.
“Each zone could have its own army, with a central command where all zonal chiefs of army staff coordinate. This structure would eliminate the threat of coups,” he explained. “In the event of war, all zones would contribute soldiers, and afterward, they would return to their respective regions. These are the necessary steps we must take.”
