A former Delta State Commissioner for Information and author, Magnus Onyibe, has called for the integration of traditional rulers into Nigeria’s proposed state police structure, arguing that sustainable security reform cannot succeed without grassroots intelligence networks anchored by monarchs and local institutions.
Speaking in an interview on ARISE NEWS on Friday while discussing his book, The Imperative of State Police in Nigeria, Onyibe said state policing alone would not solve Nigeria’s security challenges unless traditional rulers are formally incorporated into the system as key intelligence intermediaries.
He explained that Nigeria’s current centralised policing structure, established after the 1966 Unification Decree, weakened local intelligence systems that previously relied on native authorities and traditional institutions.
“The truth is that returning to state policing will not be effective without traditional rulers. They worked pari passu. As we just stated, the traditional rulers were the ones at the grassroots level that were bringing the intelligence that the police used to be able to administer the system,” Onyibe said.
He argued that traditional rulers are currently exposed and vulnerable due to the absence of structured protection and formal roles within the security framework.
“The reason that those people want to abdicate is that they don’t have the power anymore. So if they shared information about what was going on in their community with DSS or police, they face the risk of being abducted, beheaded, or being dealt with one way or the other,” he said.
According to him, restoring their relevance in security architecture would enhance intelligence gathering and improve early warning systems.
“But if there’s a police force around them that they can use to surround themselves and be able to protect themselves from these bandits, they will serve better. But unfortunately, that’s not the case. So they are exposed,” he added.
Onyibe stressed that traditional rulers should not return to their pre-1966 administrative and taxation roles, but should instead focus on intelligence coordination within communities.
“I’m not saying they should go back to what they used to do pre-1966, but I’m saying that a role has to be given to them. Because right now… a lot of them want to abdicate because of the risk that they face. And they are facing this risk because they don’t have protection,” he said.
He further likened their proposed role to that of local sheriffs in the United States, who function as first responders with strong local intelligence networks.
“They are like the sheriff as it obtains in the United States of America. So we need them to play that critical role… we have to fashion out a way, something, a role for them to play,” he said.
On concerns about the democratic legitimacy of monarchs, Onyibe acknowledged that traditional rulers are not elected but argued that their influence remains rooted in consensus and community acceptance.
“Yes, it’s totally right that monarchs are not democratically elected people. So it’s not in harmony with democracy that people have to be elected. But we have to find a way to graft these things because their role is very critical,” he said.
He maintained that despite imperfections within traditional institutions, they remain essential to grassroots governance and intelligence.
“We are saying they can be stripped of the role they played previously, collecting tax and having things to do with government. But right now, you just let them become people who gather intelligence,” he said.
Onyibe also argued that traditional rulers still serve as first points of contact in many communities.
“They are the ones that are interacting with the people… if there is any issue, if there is any conflict, if there are people coming into the place newly, it is these people that they speak to,” he said.
He said their exclusion from formal security structures has weakened intelligence flow to government agencies.
“They know who is new, who is coming in, who is going out. So I think that they have a role to play. How to fashion it out, I really don’t know, but it is something that can be worked upon,” he said.
Responding to concerns about accountability, oversight, and the conduct of some traditional rulers, Onyibe acknowledged the imperfections in the system but cautioned against generalisation.
“It is totally right that monarchs are not democratically elected people… but we have to find a way to graft these things,” he said.
He added that human frailty exists across all professions, including journalism, judiciary, and traditional institutions.
“We don’t have angels on earth. Accountants also commit crime. Journalists commit crime… even judges, even doctors… so if one or two monarchs have gone astray, that’s okay. But we cannot throw away the baby and the bathwater,” he said.
Onyibe insisted that traditional rulers remain indispensable to grassroots security coordination.
“So it’s very, very important that we actually look critically at the role at which the monarchs pre-1960s were involved and how safe the society was back then. They are the ones that are the grassroots. So they are very critical. They are very important,” he said.
Addressing concerns about politicisation and compromised traditional institutions, he admitted such issues exist but said they do not invalidate the broader role of monarchs.
“We don’t have angels on earth… some people are not very principled… but there are lots of them who would also be very clear about where they belong and draw the line between getting involved in politics and stuff like that,” he said.
On allegations that some traditional rulers are compromised or involved in political interference, Onyibe cautioned against sweeping generalisations.
“That makes sense… the monarch you mentioned may be an exception. That’s not the standard. We don’t have angels on earth,” he said.
He further argued that traditional rulers already play an informal but significant intelligence role for security agencies.
“The DSS would admit any day that the traditional rulers are critical in gathering information… we have 2,000 police stations nationwide. Do you know that the funds available to a police station in Nigeria to function on a daily basis is 500 Naira?” he said.
Onyibe said the severe underfunding of police operations further strengthens the case for community-based intelligence systems.
“So when you go to a police station and they ask you to buy stationery… it’s for very good reasons. They have 500 Naira to fuel their generator… 500 Naira to pay for telephone lines,” he said.
He concluded that Nigeria’s security system requires urgent structural reform, including improved funding and deeper integration of local intelligence networks.
“We need to step up this thing. We need to do something far better,” he said.
Boluwatife Enome
