₦airaland Forum

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called for an urgent overhaul of Nigeria’s security framework through constitutional reform, declaring that the establishment of state police is no longer optional but a “national imperative” necessitated by the country’s deepening security challenges.

He spoke Monday in Abuja during a one-day legislative dialogue on constitutional review and national security architecture, organised by the House Committee on Constitution Review in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser.

Tinubu, who was represented by the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar Badaru, at the high-level Legislative Dialogue on Nigeria’s National Security Architecture, said the current centralised security system has outlived its usefulness, warning that failure to realign the Constitution with Nigeria’s lived realities poses a grave threat to national unity.

“The debate over state police is no longer theoretical. It is grounded in the daily fears and lived anxieties of Nigerians: farmers afraid to tend their fields, traders unsure of safe passage, and communities abandoned to self-help,” Tinubu said.

The president described Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution as foundational to its democracy but outdated in dealing with modern security threats. He cited the rising complexity of terrorism, cybercrime, farmer-herder conflicts, piracy, and separatist agitations as clear indicators that the current legal framework is inadequate to secure Nigeria’s vast and diverse territory.

“The pace of change in technology, in the complexity of security threats, and in the dynamics of our federal structure has far outstripped the capacity of some constitutional provisions. Our Constitution must evolve or risk becoming a danger to the very unity it was meant to protect,” he said.

Tinubu called for bold constitutional amendments that would move policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List, enabling states with capacity and political will to establish their own police forces. He said such a move would ensure more accountable, community-based policing while preserving federal coordination and oversight.

“We must learn from global best practices, adapting decentralised policing models that enhance local accountability without sacrificing national oversight,” the president noted.


The president’s position adds federal weight to growing calls from governors, traditional leaders, and civil society for state police as a solution to Nigeria’s overstretched and often underperforming security agencies.

In his address, Tinubu acknowledged recent gains made through enhanced coordination among national security agencies, particularly the synergy between the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the armed forces. He noted that joint task force operations, intelligence fusion, and synchronised air and ground offensives have led to the dismantling of terrorist camps in the North-East and criminal enclaves in the North-West.

He added that improved maritime security had reduced piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and curbed high-profile kidnappings and bandit attacks, thanks to what he described as a “whole-of-government strategy.”


“Security in the 21st century is cooperative, not competitive. No single agency or tier of government can address these threats alone,” he stressed.

Beyond internal reforms, the President also highlighted Nigeria’s porous borders as a major threat to national security, facilitating arms trafficking and cross-border terrorism. He said the Constitution must clarify the roles of federal and sub-national actors in securing Nigeria’s frontiers.

Tinubu said his administration has taken proactive steps to secure vulnerable populations, particularly schoolchildren, with the establishment of the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre. He also pointed to the approval of community policing frameworks aimed at narrowing the trust gap between citizens and law enforcement.

“These efforts must be complemented with structural changes. Without constitutional backing for decentralised policing, these initiatives will remain limited in impact,” he warned.

The President charged the National Assembly, particularly the House Committee on Constitution Review led by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, to act with urgency and courage in pushing through security-focused amendments.

“None of these reforms will materialise without legislative courage and political will,” Tinubu declared. “Let history record that in this chamber, on this day, Nigeria’s leaders chose courage over caution, vision over fear, and reform over inertia.”

In his remarks, Speaker of the House of Representatives Abbas Tajudeen said the dialogue was timely, given the urgent need to review and update existing laws to address current and emerging security threats.

He said Nigeria’s complex security landscape demands strategies that are “multi-dimensional, inclusive, technology-driven, and adaptable,” anchored in a solid legal and institutional framework.

“The goal is to reposition the security architecture to effectively confront insecurity. This dialogue also allows us to refine proposed security-related bills, including the one seeking to establish state police,” Abbas said.

He highlighted the prevalence of terrorism, banditry, piracy, militancy, and oil theft across regions, stressing that the House is committed to taking practical legislative steps beyond motions and bills to support the government’s anti-insecurity efforts.

In his remarks, Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee Benjamin Kalu described the dialogue as a necessary diagnostic process.

He said previous legislation on security was often developed without adequate input from those directly involved in frontline operations.

“As legislators, we must base our reforms on accurate diagnoses. We are here to listen to those who wear the shoes and know where it pinches,” Kalu said.

Also speaking, Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, also called for urgent legal and constitutional reforms to address emerging threats like cyber warfare, hybrid threats, and insurgency.

He described the current legal framework as increasingly inadequate and highlighted operational ambiguities such as unclear command authority and detention procedures that hamper effectiveness during internal operations.

He proposed key reforms, including amending the Armed Forces Act and relevant constitutional provisions and establishing field and standing court martials in all military commands.

Constitutionally recognising courts-martial as superior courts of record; empowering the military to investigate and detain suspects during internal operations; authorizing the Nigerian Navy to collaborate with Customs and Immigration on inland waterways to combat piracy and smuggling; and introducing a merit-based nomination process for the appointment of service chiefs.

He also advocated for legal provisions to enable courts-martial to try individuals captured in acts of terrorism or insurrection under martial law conditions.

“Security is not just about military hardware; it’s about legal clarity, institutional strength, and public trust,” Gen. Musa concluded.

The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, said security and constitutional order are deeply intertwined.

Ribadu, represented by the National Coordinator, National Centre for Anti-Counter Terrorism, Maj.Gen Adamu Laka, emphasised that a responsive, inclusive, and forward-looking constitution is essential for fostering national unity and addressing the root causes of insecurity.

“The Constitution must evolve to reflect the hopes and challenges of Nigerians. Addressing grievances, protecting rights, and fostering trust between citizens and the state are all constitutional imperatives,” Ribadu said.

He commended the National Assembly for initiating the dialogue and called for constitutional reforms that decentralize service delivery, strengthen institutions, and promote more effective governance.

“As we deliberate today, let us remember that constitutional reform is not just about structure—it’s about the survival, stability, and sovereignty of our Republic,” he added.

OredoPikin:
Clueless man
It took you 2yrs to realize despite people like Obi using it to campaign then.
It was never about the people
Tinubu just wanted power to loot

Bellotelli:
It's the right way to go, but I hope the state political actors don't abuse this privilege.

mariovito:
We are getting there

Not enough original content
Please take a moment to write a quality post with at least 40 characters.
This will make the forum more interesting for everyone.

erad:
Hatred is a reflection of mental illness.
Attack policies and actions but never individuals.
Insult him from now till next year, it changes nothing. It only deepens the dark pit within your heart. It makes your soul bitter daily till bitterness becomes a delicate part of your being. It's never a good way to live.

I don't care for any of the leaders but I know their actions is not doing as much damage as the hatred most of us harbor within us and transfer onto others around us thereby multiplying the effect in multiple folds.

CJStarz:
Nice one though the Governors and politicians will just hijack the state police apparatus

Sunshine34:
State police has been rejected by state governors

Bellotelli:
It's the right way to go, but I hope the state political actors don't abuse this privilege.

OredoPikin:
Clueless man
It took you 2yrs to realize despite people like Obi using it to campaign then.
It was never about the people
Tinubu just wanted power to loot