Still on state police
August 5, 2026 12:01 am
By Lekan Sote
Anyone who heard Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo address discussants at the recent Arise News TV Abuja Townhall Meeting on State Police will agree that it is a sine qua non to review Nigeria’s revenue allocation formula so that adequate funding can be made available ahead of the introduction of state police in Nigeria.
That counsel by Soludo is as important as the fear expressed by some Nigerians that state governors may use the state police against their political opponents, or that the state police could degenerate into a militia that could be used for partisan, ethnic or other malevolent purposes.
Yes, the possibilities of abuse are high, but that should not deter Nigerians from looking for a new way to police and secure the 356,669 miles, or 923,769 square kilometres, of Nigeria’s largely ungoverned space that is currently facing life-threatening security challenges.
Though there is no verified data, it has been suggested that the Nigeria Police, with about 371,800 officers, has 17 zonal commands, 37 state commands, 274 area commands and 1,300 divisional police commands to police Nigeria’s estimated 242.4 million citizens.
This demonstrates the grossly inadequate guestimate ratio of one police officer to 653 Nigerians, whereas the United Nations recommends one police officer to 450 citizens. It gets worse when the number of roughly 100,000 officers on VIP duties is deducted from the men available for security duties.
Of course, it goes without saying that the statutes of Nigeria must also be clearly clarified so that the officers of the federal and the state police agencies know the laws that each is responsible for enforcing without descending into unnecessary conflicts with each other.
Also, a foundational review of Nigeria’s legal system is necessary to achieve a clear delineation of the jurisdiction of the courts in the administration of the law between the Federal Government and the state governments.
Hollywood movies have portrayed the open conflicts that often occur between America’s Federal Bureau of Investigation, state and city police as they struggle to determine the extent of their responsibilities to the citizens as events unfold at crime scenes in America, the country that has inspired the idea of state police in Nigeria.
State police funding should be a first-line expenditure item of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of each state, to prevent the state police system from being subjected to the caprices of state governors, or even state legislators who may deny approval of funds to the state police because the governor belongs to a political party other than their own.
In drawing attention to the very vital matter of funding, that those who love grandiose use of the English language may describe as the “Big Elephant in the Room”, Soludo displayed informed and uncanny insight, sagacity and courage in interrogating a matter of great significance to the safety and security of Nigerians.
Section 14(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution, which makes it mandatory that “The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government,” provides the most compelling reason to pay attention to the funding of the state policing system.
In his own contributions to the discussion at the town hall meeting, former Ogun State Governor, Olusegun Osoba, advanced the cause of state police with the profound argument that, like politics, security is also local.
Indeed, being local is the essence of state policing. Its proponents argue that it will thrive because its operatives can take advantage of their knowledge of the local communities, which would give tremendous assistance to the collection of more detailed intelligence and more sure-footed pursuit and apprehension of criminals.
The review of the revenue allocation formula must be intentional to favour state governments that are assuming added responsibilities that come with immense financial implications. There is no doubt that the introduction of state police will make increased financial demands on the states.
The current revenue allocation formula that awards more than half, 52.68 per cent, of the Federation Account to the Federal Government, 26.72 per cent to all the 36 state governments and even the lower 20.60 per cent to all 774 local governments, bar the 13 per cent deductions shared to oil producing states in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, is too skewed and cannot serve the purpose of state police.
It should be noted that the allocation of three per cent of the Federation Account that is earmarked for the State Police Fund and the mandatory reservation of 15 per cent of state security budget to state police should be separate and additional to the review of the revenue allocation formula to favour state governments as advocated by Governor Soludo.
The percentage of federation revenue that is allocated to the Federal Government is far too high, for a government that has been practically overloaded with too many distracting responsibilities that make it the Big Government that it shouldn’t have been.
The Federal Government shouldn’t have responsibility for more than foreign affairs, defence of the country against foreign invasion, immigration, customs and excise, central banking and oversight of economic sectors, like electricity, agriculture, education, healthcare, railways, airports and seaports.
Even though former military President Ibrahim Babangida did not allude to the revenue allocation aspect of funding, he has perennially drawn attention to the possibility of inadequate funding as a major issue that may prevent a successful adoption and implementation of state police in Nigeria.
Let no one come up with the diversionary argument that state governments are already getting more funds these days because of the removal of subsidy from petroleum products, electricity and the sale of foreign currency.
It goes without saying that state governments will need more money to take care of the increased responsibilities that they have to assume when they finally assume policing their immediate spheres of influence.
Apart from hiring more men and women into the state police forces and state judiciary systems, states will have to build more police stations, police posts, and court buildings, procure more arms, ammunition, vehicles and logistics, and all these will cost more money.
An added responsibility that no one is even talking about is that the government of former President Muhammadu Buhari has already transferred the prison system from the federal legislative exclusive list to the concurrent legislative list.
This means that state governments now have to establish, staff, house, operate and finance their own prison systems, as the Federal Government continues to run its own prison system pari passu. And that, in case anyone fails to notice, is going to cost a lot of money.
Need anyone add that the increase in the revenue that will be received by the state governments, as a result of the expected review of the revenue allocation formula, should give the necessary shot in the arm to the state or regional economies?
The multiplier effect of more money that will be spent at the local level through the employment of more police officers would significantly impact the economies of the communities that will provide housing, food and other services to the officers and men of the police forces.
If it is agreed that it takes more money to effectively run state police, it should be easy to agree that the increased revenue would ripple throughout the local economy.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected]