The Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Adebo Ogundoyin, has renewed calls for comprehensive reforms in Nigeria’s security architecture, asserting that the country’s centralised policing system is overstretched and ineffective in addressing rising insecurity.
Speaking in Abuja on Monday during a Legislative Dialogue on Nigeria’s Security Architecture themed “Nigeria’s Peace and Security:
The Constitutional Imperatives,” Ogundoyin highlighted the deteriorating security situation across the country.
He pointed to the insurgency in the North-East, rampant banditry and kidnappings in the North-West and North-Central, and persistent herder-farmer clashes in the South—all of which he warned threaten national unity and food security.
“As presiding officers of the 36 State Houses of Assembly, we witness daily the devastating impact of insecurity on lives, livelihoods, and governance,” he said.
“This dialogue presents a critical opportunity to align legislative priorities with the real challenges faced by citizens and to ensure that the constitutional and legal frameworks evolve accordingly.”
Ogundoyin emphasized the Conference of Speakers’ commitment to driving necessary reforms, saying:
“We are ready to support efforts to achieve constitutional clarity and long-overdue national security reforms. This is a duty we owe to our people, our country, and future generations.”
While commending the dedication of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies, Ogundoyin argued that the centralised policing model no longer meets the complex needs of Nigeria’s growing population.
“The centralised structure, however well-meaning, is clearly overstretched,” he stated, calling for the establishment of state police as a constitutional necessity.
He described the move not as political, but as a “patriotic and strategic necessity.”
Acknowledging concerns about potential political misuse, jurisdictional conflicts, and operational challenges of state policing, Ogundoyin stressed that these issues could be managed through strong legislative frameworks, independent oversight bodies, and clearly defined inter-agency collaboration.
In addition to state police, he advocated for enhanced intelligence sharing, improved coordination among security agencies, better funding, increased welfare for personnel, and legal reforms to tackle new threats such as cybercrime and transnational terrorism.
“Nigeria must treat security reform as a constitutional imperative. We can no longer delay.
The time to reshape our security structure for present and future generations is now,” he concluded.