By CLEM OLUWOLE
In my first novel, ‘Between Survival and Annihilation’, the protagonist finds himself on a sinking ship, torn between perishing with it or plunging into the deep blue sea. He literally takes the leap and survives, while those who stayed aboard with misplaced hope are dragged under. His story becomes one of survival, not luck but choice: facing the lesser evil.
This analogy mirrors Nigeria’s current dilemma in policing and governance. For years, we have stood on the deck of a failing security vessel, debating whether to plunge into a new system—state police—or cling to the federal structure that keeps springing leaks.
The long road to state policing
For over a decade, Nigeria has debated the merits of establishing state-controlled police to complement the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). The idea, modeled after the American system of layered policing (federal, state, local and specialized units), gained traction after the Boko Haram insurgency erupted around 2009.
The 2014 National Conference under President Goodluck Jonathan recognized the urgency of decentralizing policing. But political transitions buried its recommendations. Over the years, influential figures such as General Ibrahim Babangida and Senator Jonah Jang have echoed the call, arguing that one centralized force cannot effectively secure such a vast and populous nation.
Recently, faint light appeared at the end of this long tunnel, as federal and state authorities, alongside the National Assembly, seemed poised to birth the initiative. Yet, despite expectations that the National Economic Council (NEC) would finalize the framework, the most recent meeting in Abuja was silent on the issue. Instead, attention turned to modernizing police training facilities. Yes, this is commendable. But it is insufficient when the core structure remains outdated.
The public’s growing discontent
Earlier last week, at my auto electrician’s workshop in Kubwa, Abuja, a heated debate erupted among patrons. One man stood alone, defending his opposition to state police on the grounds that governors would misuse it against political rivals. He was outnumbered, his argument shredded by others who countered that even now, federal police are exploited for political ends.
One participant asked bluntly: “If bandits kidnapped your family, would you still fear governors more than criminals?” His point struck home. Nigeria’s highways, farms and homes have become war zones. Citizens crave protection, not politics.
The fear that state police would be abused is valid but exaggerated. Abuse already exists under the current structure. Reform, not rejection, is the answer. As one debater quipped, “We already live under a broken system—why not try one that might actually work?”
When security turns against itself
Critics often cite clashes between security forces as reasons to resist decentralization. Yet even under one federal command, we’ve witnessed shameful turf wars. Take the 2017 incident in Port Harcourt, when convoys of then-Governor Nyesom Wike and former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi engaged in a public confrontation with security details on both sides flexing muscles in blind loyalty to their principals.
That brawl, between officers of the same national force, only underscores the problem: loyalty misplaced, professionalism missing. Proper training, clear mandates, and accountability, not uniformity, prevent such chaos. If multiple policing tiers coexist smoothly in the United States and elsewhere, so can Nigeria’s.
Meanwhile, calls for citizens to “defend themselves,” from voices as prominent as Gen. T.Y. Danjuma (rtd.) and Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger State, only reveal state failure. You cannot ask unarmed farmers to face AK-47-wielding bandits. True reform lies not in arming civilians but in establishing well-funded, well-trained, community-rooted police forces across all states.
Choosing the lesser evil
As the debate rages, one question lingers in the national air: Who should Nigerians fear more—the governors or the bandits?
For me, the answer is simple. The governors, with all their flaws, remain the lesser evil. Bandits bring death, displacement and despair; governors, at worst, bring political overreach. Between the two, I would rather face the risk of reform than the certainty of ruin.
Until Nigeria takes decisive action to birth effective state policing, we remain suspended—neither sunk nor saved—hovering perilously between survival and annihilation.
Oluwole writes from Abuja via clemoluwole@gmail.com