BREAKING: Mbah calls for swift implementation of state police, says Enugu's security model shows results

Crime Diary, Politics

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Enugu State Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah has called for the swift implementation of state police, arguing that Nigeria’s current centralised policing structure is inadequate to tackle the country’s growing security challenges.

Mbah made the call on Thursday at the ARISE News Town Hall on State Police in Abuja, where he aligned himself with former Edo State Governor and Senator Adams Oshiomhole’s support for the ongoing constitutional amendments to establish state police.

“I believe we are no longer debating the idea or theory of state policing. The need is already clear,” Mbah said.

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According to the governor, security remains the primary responsibility of the government, but the existing policing model lacks the operational capacity required to respond effectively to emerging threats.

Drawing from Enugu State’s experience, Mbah said his administration inherited a state grappling with serious insecurity, with businesses, schools and nightlife severely affected.

“When we assumed office, Enugu was virtually under siege. Nightlife had disappeared, Mondays were deserted, schools were closed, and many children lost an academic year because they could not sit examinations,” he said.

Mbah said the state responded by investing heavily in technology-driven security infrastructure, including AI-enabled surveillance systems, static and mobile CCTV cameras, a distress response squad and a unified communication platform linking the police, the military, the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies.

He said the investments had contributed to a reduction of more than 90 per cent in violent crime across the state.

“Security challenges are measured in minutes. States must have the capacity to respond immediately and stop crime before it escalates,” he said.

The governor advocated a state policing system built on national standards while allowing states sufficient operational flexibility.

He also supported the establishment of independent State Police Service Commissions with dedicated funding to strengthen accountability and operational independence.

Mbah dismissed concerns that governors could abuse state police, saying democratic institutions and legal safeguards should provide the necessary checks and balances.

“No one remains governor forever. Our objective is to build a safer and more secure Nigeria,” he said.

Also speaking, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, said the proposed constitutional amendment would only recognise state police, while the operational framework would be contained in a new Police Act.

He disclosed that the State Police Bill had reached the conference committee stage in the National Assembly.

Kalu urged governors to demonstrate the same commitment to local government autonomy, arguing that stronger local councils would improve governance, create jobs and help address insecurity at the grassroots.

Meanwhile, Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo, who joined the town hall virtually, described state police as an essential component of true federalism.

He called for broader constitutional reforms, including greater devolution of powers, increased revenue allocation to states and comprehensive judicial reforms.

According to Soludo, sustainable state policing must be accompanied by stronger state institutions, including reforms to the judiciary and fiscal federalism, to ensure an effective and accountable security architecture.