Lawyer and political analyst, Kenneth Okonkwo, has renewed his call for the creation of state police in Nigeria, emphasizing that it remains the most effective solution to the country’s worsening insecurity crisis.
Speaking in a video shared by Symfoni TV, Okonkwo argued that President Bola Tinubu should urgently approve the establishment of state police, noting that it would empower governors to take direct control of security operations in their respective states.
Okonkwo cited the example of Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, who reportedly swore with the Quran that he would end insecurity within two months if given full authority over security agencies. According to Okonkwo, the governor claimed to know where the criminal elements are hiding and how to eliminate them effectively if granted the necessary powers.
“Since Tinubu came in, I have been begging that state police be approved,” Okonkwo said. “The governor of Zamfara vowed with the Quran that in two months he will wipe out insecurity and that he knows where all these people are.”
He stressed that this statement reflects the frustration of many state leaders who feel powerless under Nigeria’s current centralized security structure. Okonkwo argued that despite governors being constitutionally recognized as the “chief security officers” of their states, they lack direct control over the police and other federal security agencies.
He maintained that decentralizing security through state policing would enable faster and more effective responses to local threats, especially in areas plagued by banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism.
Okonkwo further cited the example of Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Soludo, whom he praised for successfully reducing crime through community-based security initiatives. According to him, Soludo relied heavily on local vigilante groups to destroy about sixty criminal camps in the state.
“Governor Soludo used community vigilantes to clear over sixty criminal camps in Anambra,” Okonkwo noted. “Insecurity there has been drastically reduced because he empowered the people at the grassroots to protect their communities.”
The former Nollywood actor turned politician lamented that Nigeria continues to lose lives daily because of its over-centralized policing system. He urged the federal government to take cues from countries with successful multi-level policing structures, where both federal and state forces coexist to maintain law and order.
“Our present system is too rigid,” Okonkwo said. “If we continue like this, insecurity will only get worse. Let the governors take responsibility for their states, and hold them accountable if they fail.” he added.
Find Verified News At Your fingertips Click The Button Below. ⬇️
Leave a Reply