₦airaland Forum

Why Do Northern Leaders in Nigeria Oppose State Police?
And Why Southern Leaders Want It?

Many Northern leaders oppose state police due to fears of abuse. They worry governors could use it against political opponents or minority groups within their states.
There are also concerns about funding, as several Northern states already struggle to pay salaries and equip existing services. Others argue policing should remain centralised to ensure coordination against banditry and terrorism that cross state borders, and to prevent ethnic or religious bias in recruitment.

In contrast, many Southern leaders support state police because of rising insecurity and slow federal response.
They argue local officers who know the terrain can respond faster to kidnapping, cultism, and herder-farmer clashes.
States also want more control over security in their territory instead of relying on federal police posted from other regions.
For them, state police means accountability to state governments and communities.

So the divide largely comes down to trust, capacity, and how each region experiences insecurity.

For instance, I am from Nnewi. When I go to Nwafor Orizu’s house, and he is in charge of security in Nnewi, I can ask him directly what is being done about a kidnapping or a theft. I know the police commissioner’s house. I know the village the ASP comes from. I can relate to him directly. It is not like now, where outsiders come into the community with no relationship to it, no stake in its stability or progress.

— Olisa Metuh
On the need for State Police.
Daily Sun Interview | July 2026

IF IT'S FOR SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS FINE BUT I FEAR POLITICIANS CUNNING BEHAVIOR

IF IT'S FOR SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS FINE BUT I FEAR POLITICIANS CUNNING BEHAVIOR WHERE THE SYSTEM MAY BE HIJACKED.

SO MY APPEAL TO MAKE IT INDEPENDENT OF GOVERNOR'S INTERFERENCE

AhmedPeacemaker:
Why Do Northern Leaders in Nigeria Oppose State Police?
And Why Southern Leaders Want It?

Many Northern leaders oppose state police due to fears of abuse. They worry governors could use it against political opponents or minority groups within their states.
There are also concerns about funding, as several Northern states already struggle to pay salaries and equip existing services. Others argue policing should remain centralised to ensure coordination against banditry and terrorism that cross state borders, and to prevent ethnic or religious bias in recruitment.

In contrast, many Southern leaders support state police because of rising insecurity and slow federal response.
They argue local officers who know the terrain can respond faster to kidnapping, cultism, and herder-farmer clashes.
States also want more control over security in their territory instead of relying on federal police posted from other regions.
For them, state police means accountability to state governments and communities.

So the divide largely comes down to trust, capacity, and how each region experiences insecurity.

The fear of arming the Hausa is just the simple reason..If you recall,many of them have been clamouring for state police until it became a reality and found out that the Hausa have woken from their deep slumber and for that it's now an existential threat to the predominantly Fulani lead political class in the North.

They fear disintegration like ebola virus. The greatest fear of Northern Muslims is the division ➗ of Nigeria. It's like switching off the Oxygen mask on their ICU.
The stage is set already
1. State Police
2. Regional Government
3. Fiscal Federalism
4. Confederacy
5. Division......

In sha Allahu.....it shall happen like movie.
Afghanistanic Somalia of Northern Nigeria...

The North is always against anything that will move Nigeria forward. On state police, if some states are against state police, let them not have state police, but those that want state police should be allowed to have state police. Those that want to remain backward should not hinder those that want to move forward.

TooMuchStuff:
They fear disintegration like ebola virus. The greatest fear of Northern Muslims is the division ➗ of Nigeria. It's like switching off the Oxygen mask on their ICU.
The stage is set already
1. State Police
2. Regional Government
3. Fiscal Federalism
4. Confederacy
5. Division......

In sha Allahu.....it shall happen like movie.
Afghanistanic Somalia of Northern Nigeria...

If the North doesn't want Nigeria to divide, then they should behave themselves to make the South comfortable staying with the North. Sadly, most of the woes bedeviling Nigeria (extremism, terrorism, mass abductions, cattle destroying farms, cattle grazing in the city center, etc.) are from the North.

johannu:
The North is always against anything that will move Nigeria forward. On state police, if some states are against state police, let them not have state police, but those that want state police should be allowed to have state police. Those that want to remain backward should not hinder those that want to move forward.

Indeed. The fact us that most Northern leaders (political, religious, cultural, military etc) are tacit supporters of banditry, violent land and territorial expansionist agenda and jihad-led terrorism that is seeking to conquer Nigeria under Islams.

With State policing in place, the chances of them gaining the bolded reduces to zero. That is their real problem.