As State Police Debate Returns, Adebayo’s Four-Year-Old Position Resonates

As Nigeria moves closer to renewed constitutional conversations around the creation of state police, comments made about four years ago by former Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, are drawing fresh relevance.

In an interview conducted during the build-up to the 2023 presidential election, Adebayo strongly defended the creation of state and local government policing, arguing that Nigeria’s highly centralised security structure had become ineffective and disconnected from local realities.

According to him, any level of government empowered to make laws should also possess the authority to enforce them.

He argued that it was contradictory for states to legislate on issues including criminal offences, sanitation, public order and local administration while depending almost entirely on a centrally controlled police system headquartered in Abuja.

Adebayo maintained that most offences affecting everyday life — including murder, theft, arson and other serious crimes — are prosecuted under state laws, raising questions about why states have little operational control over policing.

Using Lagos as an example, he questioned situations where incidents occurring entirely within a state still require intervention and decisions from federal authorities.

He said such arrangements weaken accountability and delay justice.

The former presidential candidate also called for wider police reforms beyond decentralisation, arguing that policing in Nigeria should move away from what he described as a culture of force towards one rooted in public service and community trust.

According to him, police should belong to the people rather than function as an extension of government power.

He further proposed stronger institutional links between policing and the justice system, including reforms that would reinforce the role of legal institutions in ensuring accountability.

Beyond security, Adebayo linked Nigeria’s security challenges to broader failures in economic governance.

He rejected arguments that Nigeria’s fiscal problems stem primarily from insufficient taxation, insisting instead that the country loses substantial revenue through leakages, resource theft and weak administration.

He argued that government should prioritise recovering legally due revenues rather than imposing additional tax burdens on citizens and businesses.

Adebayo pointed to crude oil theft and illegal extraction of solid minerals as examples of areas where stronger governance could significantly improve national income.

He also criticised arbitrary tax practices, warning that unrealistic assessments discourage productivity and encourage corruption.

According to him, economic recovery requires efficient revenue collection, transparent administration and stronger protection of public resources.

While the interview was held years ago, many of the issues raised — particularly around decentralised policing, insecurity and economic management — remain central to Nigeria’s ongoing governance debate.

With discussions on state police once again gaining policy attention, Adebayo’s earlier arguments are returning to public conversation as part of wider calls for security and structural reforms.