Call for Legislative Action on State Police
Hon. Henry Nwawuba, Executive Secretary of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, and Auwal Musa Ibrahim (Rafsanjani), Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), have urged lawmakers to prioritize legislative interventions to address rising insecurity in Nigeria.
The two leaders made their remarks at the 2nd Annual Distinguished Parliamentarian Lecture, which was organized by the House of Representatives Press Corps. The event was themed “The Imperative for State Police: Securing Communities, Strengthening Federalism.”
Nwawuba stated that parliament must respond to Nigeria’s insecurity through policy and legislative innovation. He cited the establishment of state police as an opportunity to explore new approaches to security challenges.
During his address, Nwawuba recalled his previous work chairing the House Committee on Monitoring of the Legislative Agenda. In that capacity, he examined overlapping mandates within Nigeria’s security architecture and reviewed constitutional amendments regarding state police.
Nwawuba urged lawmakers to move beyond offering sympathy to victims of insecurity. He stated, “We can’t keep saying our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of insecurity and we call ourselves legislators.”
Addressing Concerns Over Funding and Safeguards
Nwawuba acknowledged concerns surrounding state police but argued that adequate attention should be given to funding and safeguards. He noted that similar approaches have been adopted in other countries.
Auwal Musa Ibrahim (Rafsanjani) acknowledged legislative interventions by the Senate and House, specifically citing the recent passage of the State Police Bill before State Houses of Assembly. He urged continued practical steps to tackle insecurity.
Rafsanjani cited data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) indicating that Nigeria’s kidnapping crisis has persisted beyond its 2025 peak.
He stated that the central question for CISLAC is not whether Nigeria needs State Police, but what institutional safeguards, accountability mechanisms, and professional standards must accompany its establishment to ensure it strengthens democracy and human rights.
Rafsanjani noted that state-level policing could potentially improve local intelligence gathering, shorten response times, deepen community engagement, and enable security institutions to better understand local security dynamics.