State Police: Strengthen rule of law to get result, says Owoseni
A former Lagos Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni (rtd), has said that strengthening the rule of law, good governance and adequate funding are critical for any proposed state police structure
A former Lagos Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni (rtd), has said that strengthening the rule of law, good governance and adequate funding are critical for any proposed state police structure to achieve results in Nigeria.
Owoseni said the ongoing debate on the creation of state police was not new, noting that discussions on policing arrangements in the country have continued through various constitutional conferences since colonial era.
According to him, Nigeria has experimented with different policing systems over the years, including regional constabularies, Native Authority police and local government police during colonial rule.
“This debate is not new at all. At different stages of our history, the kind of policing arrangement suitable for the country has always been discussed,” he said.
The retired police chief noted that the issue featured prominently in constitutional debates before and after independence, including the 1957 Willink Commission set up to address minority concerns.
Owoseni said the renewed push for state police followed directives by President Bola Tinubu and growing calls by governors and other stakeholders for reforms in the nation’s security architecture.
He, however, warned that creating new policing structures without strengthening the rule of law and governance would not address Nigeria’s security challenges.
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“It is not the federal policing system that has problems. It is the way the police is handled by our leaders. Whether you have federal, state or community police, if the basic foundation (the rule of law, and proper funding) is not in place, the problem will remain,” he said.
Owoseni added that the Nigeria Police performed more effectively in earlier decades, arguing that the decline in performance was largely due to weak governance and institutional decay rather than the centralized structure of the force.
He also cautioned that Nigeria’s ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity required careful consideration in designing any state policing framework.
Using Taraba State as an example, he noted that states with numerous ethnic groups could face tensions if policing is perceived to be controlled by a particular group.
“When people talk about state police, they must clearly define what they mean. Is it about who controls the police or about ensuring that those policing communities understand the local environment?” he asked.
Owoseni stressed that effective policing requires a whole-of-society approach that integrates both state and non-state actors.
According to him, community groups, private security outfits and other stakeholders should work alongside formal security agencies to strengthen security.
“In countries like the United States, even campus security, mall security and community members are integrated into the policing system. That is what makes policing effective,” he said.
He concluded that rebuilding trust in governance and restoring respect for the rule of law are essential for any policing reform to succeed in Nigeria.
