The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has said that the long-running debate over the creation of state police in Nigeria is overdue. It stresses that the country is now at a point where decisive action is required to curb insecurity.
Speaking in an interview on Arise TV on Thursday, Deputy Director-General of NEF Dr. Salisu Mohammed said Nigeria has exhausted every other option and must now embrace state policing to strengthen national security.
However, he warned that governors must resist the temptation to weaponise state police for political gains, especially during elections.
“The time has come to really set back the role of state police. However, governors must not use it as a tool to achieve their political ambitions. If they use it to manipulate elections, then the idea of setting it up has been defeated,” Mohammed said.
According to him, insecurity in Nigeria has spread like wildfire over the years due to multiple factors ranging from religious extremism to poverty, kidnapping, and poor governance.
Beyond state police, Mohammed called for the declaration of a national emergency on security, saying it would give the government the latitude to mobilise Nigerians, adopt innovative approaches, and leverage technology to combat terrorism and banditry.
“We are in the age of technology. No city in Nigeria is indefensible. The state is not helpless. Our forces have fought gallantly within and outside Nigeria. What we need is willpower, resources, and accountability,” he said.
He stressed that insecurity cannot be solved by the government alone, but requires an all-of-society approach, including enlightenment, intelligence-sharing, and community cooperation.
“In the short term, the President should create a 90-day window for insurgents and bandits to lay down their arms. After that, the full weight of the armed forces should descend on those who refuse. At the same time, Nigerians must be mobilised to complement security agencies,” he added.
