Governor Uba Sani Renews Call for Creation of State Police

•Says Nigeria’s 400,000 Police, 250,000 military personnel insufficient for 230 million people 

•Asserts Kaduna has recorded over two years without ethno-religious conflict, recommends peace model as solution to Nigeria’s insecurity

Sunday Ehigiator

Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has renewed his call for the creation of state police as part of a multi-level security architecture to tackle Nigeria’s deepening insecurity.

Sani stressed that the country’s current law enforcement manpower was grossly inadequate for its population of over 230 million people.

The governor made the call yesterday in Lagos while delivering a lecture at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Distinguished Lecture Series, titled, “The Role of State Governments in Overcoming Insecurity in Nigeria.”

According to him, Nigeria’s current strength of about 400,000 police officers and 250,000 military personnel cannot effectively secure a country of Nigeria’s size and diversity.

He said the shortfall left vast areas as “ungoverned spaces” exploited by criminals and non-state actors.

Sani said, “A federated republic demands federated security. State police is not a threat to national unity but a guarantee of it. What we need is a coordinated but devolved security system that gives states constitutional authority to secure their people.”

The governor, who had sponsored four constitutional amendment bills for multi-tier policing while serving in the ninth Senate, said he remained committed to supporting the 10th National Assembly to actualise the establishment of state police and state security service commissions.

Sani stated that insecurity in Nigeria was a symptom of failed governance, poverty, and socioeconomic marginalisation, rather than just a policing problem.

“You cannot bomb poverty out of existence or shoot down unemployment. Lasting peace requires social justice, inclusion, and opportunity,” he stated.

The governor presented what he called the “Kaduna Peace Model” as a home-grown framework that had helped restore calm and cohesion in a state once known for violent conflicts.

Under the model, he explained, Kaduna adopted an inclusive approach to peacebuilding through dialogue, economic empowerment, and community participation. He said over 50 consultative forums were held involving traditional rulers, herders, farmers, youth, and religious leaders to resolve disputes and build trust.

“Peace must be cultivated, not imposed. Security is not the absence of war but the presence of justice, opportunity, and mutual trust,” he told the audience.

Sani said the approach had yielded remarkable results, stating that Kaduna State has recorded over two years without any ethno-religious conflict for the first time in decades.

He also disclosed that the United Kingdom had downgraded its travel advisory on Kaduna State from “red” to “amber” in recognition of the state’s improved security situation and enhanced international confidence.

According to him, the non-kinetic strategies deployed by his administration have restored safety to rural communities, reopened hundreds of schools previously shut down due to insecurity, and revived economic activities across the state.

“We refused to pay ransom for abducted citizens. Instead, we relied on community mediation and traditional leadership. In one instance, 252 victims were released within nine days without paying a kobo,” he said.

The governor attributed Kaduna’s success in stabilising security to its blend of inclusive governance, interfaith collaboration, and development-focused policies, saying the state now prioritises education, healthcare, infrastructure, and youth empowerment as tools of peacebuilding.

He cited the establishment of three vocational institutes, the upgrading of over 1,100 primary healthcare centres, the expansion of road infrastructure, and creation of peace councils in all three senatorial districts as examples of the government’s commitment to human security.

While acknowledging the federal government’s ongoing security reforms under President Bola Tinubu and National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Sani urged other state governments to adopt similar grassroots-focused approaches.

He stated, “Our experience in Kaduna shows that when states take ownership of security and development, peace becomes sustainable.

“The Kaduna Peace Model is a demonstration that insecurity can be overcome through vision, courage, and partnership.”