The Action Democratic Party (ADP) has cautioned northern governors against endorsing the creation of state police, warning that the move could undermine national security and expose citizens to greater danger.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr Sani Dawop, said the growing push for state-controlled police forces was a “false narrative” being marketed as a solution to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.
“This position is misguided, dangerous, and a direct threat to national stability in the absence of an agreed constitutional framework,” the statement read. “Weakening the federal security architecture while empowering subnational political actors with armed police formations will not enhance public safety.”
The ADP described the advocacy for state police as “a carefully packaged scam,” alleging that the real beneficiaries would be political elites who, it claimed, have consistently failed in their responsibilities.
“For years, state governments – particularly across the North – have mismanaged their constitutional duties while insecurity worsened under their watch,” the party said.
“More disturbing is their persistent abuse of political power, especially in the conduct of local government elections where governors routinely declare their parties winners of all positions. Reducing grassroots democracy to a ritual is bad enough; giving these same actors command over armed police formations is reckless.”
The party warned that adopting state police without broad consultation and constitutional safeguards would lead to “state-sponsored intimidation, expanded corruption, ethnic and religious tensions, and possibly state-enabled violence.”
It argued that most states already operate security outfits created by law, yet with little measurable impact, adding that the proposal risks transforming Nigeria into “fragmented enclaves controlled by partisan security militias.”
The ADP called instead for a comprehensive national security conference to examine state policing and other reforms. It urged government to strengthen existing law enforcement agencies, invest in intelligence gathering, and improve inter-agency collaboration.
“Private guard duties can be reformed to perform many of the functions currently carried out by state-backed outfits,” the party added. “No governor who has turned local administration into a personal fiefdom can be entrusted with a police force without necessary reforms.”
The ADP urged civil society groups, labour unions and traditional institutions to reject what it described as a dangerous proposal and demand solutions that prioritise safety and national unity.
“Nigeria must not sleepwalk into constitutional chaos,” it warned. “We must resist this scam before it leads the nation into a ditch that will consume us all.”
