Senator, Kogi Central District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has warned that Nigeria’s proposed state police structure must be protected from political manipulation, insisting that lawmakers must build strong accountability mechanisms into the legal framework to ensure ordinary citizens can seek redress whenever abuses occur.
Speaking during the ARISE NEWS Townhall on State Police, Akpoti-Uduaghan, who said she participated in drafting constitutional provisions expected to guide the reforms, declared that while she supports the decentralisation of the police, the proposed system must address concerns over political interference, recruitment, funding, discipline and independent oversight before it becomes operational.
“My first concern is the abuse of this state police by both state and national political actors, If the police commander is in default of compliance, who do ordinary citizens report to?”
She argued that Nigeria’s centralised policing structure had created a disconnect between security realities at the grassroots and responses from national authorities. “I, personally, am in support of this centralising the police force, because, let’s be very honest, in most democratic societies, whether it’s America or the United Kingdom, they do operate a decentralised system of policing. And in Nigeria today, if we are being honest with ourselves, there’s a huge disconnect.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan said her biggest concern remained the possibility that governors or other political actors could misuse state police for partisan purposes if adequate legal safeguards were not established. “I’m mentioning this in capital, the abuse, the concern of abuse, of the state police, by the state and national political actors.”
She also questioned how Nigerians would seek justice if senior officers abused their authority, asking lawmakers to ensure complaints against state police commanders would be independently investigated rather than handled through politically influenced structures. “Who do you report to? How do you trust that your petitions will be addressed? If the police commander is in default of compliance, who do ordinary citizens report to? And how do you trust that a national police council would not be a boys’ club of some sort, or a political club of some sort, that will turn a blind eye to genuine complaints of Nigerians?”
On funding, the senator cautioned that states generated vastly different revenues, making it unrealistic to expect every state to finance policing at the same level without federal intervention. “We do know that the economic opportunities of states in Nigeria vary. We have some big states, like Lagos. You can’t compare the revenue generated by Lagos with states like Kogi and Zamfara.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan also urged security agencies to deploy technology more aggressively against criminal groups, citing an incident in which bandits allegedly distributed large sums of money through a live TikTok giveaway without being tracked. “I have spoken loudly about the need to deploy smart technologies to curtail the excesses of insecurity in our country.”
Drawing from her personal experience, she recounted how a fully equipped police station she facilitated for her constituency remained idle despite repeated notifications to the previous Inspector-General of Police, only becoming operational after the appointment of the current police chief. “There was no response In less than two weeks, in less than two weeks, the police station was made operational.”
She praised the current Inspector-General of Police for activating the facility, saying the contrasting responses from two police leaderships demonstrated the importance of competent leadership within security institutions.
“The same government, same office, different response.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan stressed that no legal framework alone could guarantee effective policing unless those implementing it were patriotic and committed to the rule of law. “No matter the laws we deploy, no matter how beautiful the literatures are in our Constitution, we still are going to rely on human beings to effect this.”
She said her concerns were shaped partly by her experiences during previous elections in Kogi State. “He would tell me that his hands were tied, they would tell me to please reach the national police.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan also alleged that during one encounter with a former police commissioner, after presenting evidence of armed political thugs operating openly, she received a response she described as deeply troubling. “He said, Madam, why don’t you recruit your own thugs too? To balance power?”
Despite her concerns, she expressed confidence that ongoing constitutional and legislative reforms could produce a stronger policing system if lawmakers, security agencies, civil society organisations, traditional institutions and citizens worked together. “I do believe that my office, and the entire National Assembly, will walk in harmony with the state governors, with the police to ensure that every Nigerian’s life and properties are properly secured and the state police will walk harmoniously with the federal, to bring safety to Nigeria.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
