All Set for Public Presentation of Book on State Police in Nigeria

Preparations are underway for the public unveiling of a new book, The Imperative of State Police in Nigeria, authored by media columnist, public policy analyst, democracy advocate, and thought leader Magnus Onyibe.
In a statement released by Inspire Media Services, the book is positioned against the backdrop of the “seemingly unrelenting wave of insecurity spreading across Nigeria” and President Bola Tinubu’s recent push to establish state police forces.
The statement, signed by Tervel T. Kejih, Head of Communication and Media Relations at Inspire Media Services, notes that the publication arrives at a critical juncture in Nigeria’s history, as killings, kidnappings, banditry and other violent crimes continue to rise nationwide.
It observes that insecurity, once concentrated in the North‑East and parts of the North‑Central region, has now spread extensively into the South‑West states of Ondo, Ekiti and Oyo, raising concerns that the threat could reach Ogun and Lagos if urgent action is not taken.
Further, the statement highlights the urgency of the security situation, citing the abduction of schoolchildren in Ogbomosho, Oyo State, and Uba Askira in Borno State.
The statement also references remarks by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who disclosed that the Presidency and the National Assembly are set to fast‑track constitutional templates for establishing state police structures in Nigeria.
The book contains 19 articles written and published by Onyibe in the mass media from 2002 to the present. According to the statement, the publication chronicles the evolution of insecurity in Nigeria and argues for the creation of state and local policing systems as a strategic response to the country’s security challenges.
The statement describes Onyibe as one of Nigeria’s most accomplished media columnists and respected thought leaders, noting that the book assembles critical insights, historical perspectives and policy recommendations needed to guide lawmakers and policymakers in amending the 1999 Constitution to accommodate state and local policing structures.
The foreword of the book was written by Anthony Kila, while the afterword was authored by Tunji Alapini.
According to the statement, the publication aligns with President Tinubu’s recent calls for the National Assembly to amend the 1999 Constitution to include state police as part of efforts to address insecurity threatening national stability, economic growth and social cohesion.
The statement explains that the current centralised policing structure traces its roots to Unification Decree No. 2 of 1966, introduced after the military coup that ended Nigeria’s First Republic and abolished the regional policing arrangement that previously existed.
It adds that the date, venue and time for the public presentation are being finalised through consultations with key stakeholders, including the leadership of the National Assembly, the Office of the Inspector‑General of Police, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Police Service Commission and other security agencies.
The event, expected to take place in Abuja, will bring together lawmakers, policymakers, security experts, civil society leaders, media practitioners, traditional rulers, members of the diplomatic community and other stakeholders in Nigeria’s security and governance sector.
The author maintains that legislators, security stakeholders and readers alike will find the book invaluable for understanding the historical foundations of Nigeria’s current security crisis and the need for institutional reforms capable of reversing the country’s insecurity challenges.