Safeguarding State Police Against Govs’ Abuse

With the current alleged misuse of state governments-controlled security outfits and political thugs by suspected agents of state governments against opposition political parties and their leaders ahead of 2027 general election, Ejiofor Alike writes that President Bola Tinubu should sufficiently address the potential abuse of state police by governors before his ascent to the State Police Bill approved by 30 state houses of assembly to resolve Nigeria’s unending security challenges

The chances of the resolution of Nigeria’s unending security challenges brightened last week following the resolution of the National Assembly to transmit the constitution amendment bill seeking to establish state police to President Bola Tinubu for assent after thE piece of legislation received approval from 30 state houses of assembly.

The Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, at Wednesday’s plenary, clarified that 30 state assemblies had approved the bill.

The states are Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.

Bamidele said the 30 state houses of assembly exceeded the two-thirds of the 36 state assemblies, which amounts to 24 states required by the constitution.

All eyes are now on President Tinubu to give speedy ascent to the bill, which seeks to alter the 1999 Constitution to provide for the decentralisation of policing in Nigeria.

The bill, initiated by President Tinubu’s administration, enjoys enormous popularity among many Nigerians, who believe it is the ultimate solution to Nigeria’s security challenges.

However, those who are worried by the current intolerance of agents of state governments to dissent views are concerned that governors will use state police to persecute, harass and run opposition leaders and other critics out of their states.

This school of thought cites the current alleged misuse of state governments-controlled security outfits and political thugs by suspected agents of state governments against opposition leaders ahead of the 2027 general election.

For instance, in early September, thugs allegedly linked to the agents of Benue State government attacked the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, during his visit to the state.

The hoodlums reportedly blocked Obi from visiting survivors and families of the June 2025 Yelewata massacre in Benue State.

Before the incident, Obi had been prevented from visiting victims of violence in the state based on the orders of Governor Hyacinth Alia, who cited security concerns for his action.

Amnesty International had described the attack on Obi’s convoy as a reckless and unlawful use of political thugs, insisting that the state government had questions to answer.

However, Governor Alia, through his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Tersoo Kula, described the allegations as an attempt to drag Alia and the people of the state into what it characterised as an internal political dispute.

Obi was also attacked last Wednesday in Calabar, Cross River State by suspected political thugs.

It is however heartwarming to note that unlike in several suspected cases of state-sponsored violence where the police turned a blind eye, the Cross River State Police Command arrested a 27-year-old man, Victor Edet, otherwise known as Yellow Duke, in connection with an attack on Obi’s convoy.

The police, in a statement, explained that a group of suspected hoodlums, armed with machetes and sticks, emerged from the Calabar Road and Clerks Alley axis and attacked vehicles in the convoy.

In Enugu State, the NDC last month buried one of its members, Ifeanyi Nwolie, who was shot by suspected political thugs during an attack on the party’s campaign office in the GRA area of Enugu State.

Nwolie, a native of Affa in the Udi Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, was shot during the violent attack on October 10, 2026, and died two days later at the age of 43.

Obi and other leaders of the party attended the burial.

The NDC has repeatedly accused suspected political thugs of attacking its members in Enugu State amid a pattern of political violence in the state ahead of next year’s elections.

However, the state police command had reportedly arrested a traditional ruler, his brother and former member of the House of Representatives, as well as eight others over an alleged armed attack on the party’s ward meeting in Ihuani Awkunanaw, the home ward of the party’s governorship candidate in the state, Mr. Chilaka Ohaa, on September 12, 2026.

In Sokoto State, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the ruling APC traded blame last week following an attack on the convoy of the ADC governorship candidate in the state, Manir Muhammad Dan’iya.

Dan’iya had alleged that personnel of the state government-owned security outfits, Marshal and Community Guard, attacked his convoy around the Sokoto Airport on October 30, shortly after he escorted former Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal to the airport.

However, in a swift response, the state Chairman of APC, Alhaji Haruna Adiya, said the allegations were part of a propaganda campaign against the state government.

In a similar development, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, recently released a video purportedly showing individuals he identified as those who attacked him and his team in a restaurant in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, recently.

In a post announcing the development on X, Sowore alleged that CCTV recordings from Tawakalitu Restaurant, where the incident occurred on October 30, had been erased after police officers and DSS operatives allegedly took possession of the surveillance equipment.

However, the Ekiti State Police Command had disputed the allegations that he was attacked, describing the incident as an “altercation” with some individuals at a restaurant.

In Kebbi State, hoodlums, on Thursday, launched a violent assault on Atiku’s convoy, smashed and destroyed cameras and other essential equipment of several members of the campaign’s media team

According to the campaign team of the ADC presidential candidate, the attackers blocked the convoy, pelted vehicles with stones and deliberately targeted journalists and members of the camera and video crew accompanying the presidential candidate.

Before the attack on Atiku’s convoy, a former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, had petitioned the state Commissioner of Police over the demolition of his property in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.

The property, located at a commercial layout along Sani Abacha Road, housed the Malami Pressure Group, a political support organisation.

Malami is the ADC governorship candidate in the state.

However, the Kebbi State Government has denied involvement in the demolition, describing the allegation as false.

Following the nationwide destruction of political campaign posters, banners and billboards, which also affected the ruling APC in some northern states, the Inspector General of Police (IG), Tunji Disu last Wednesday strongly condemned the act of political intolerance, warning political thugs, hoodlums and other mischief-makers involved to desist immediately.

With the growing intolerance of the governors, it is feared that they will use state police as a tool against opponents. President Tinubu and other proponents of the legislation should provide safeguards against the potential abuse of state police by the governors and their agents.