State Police: ADC Knocks Tinubu, Says Reform Rushed

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the Federal Government’s renewed push for state police, describing it as a “rushed and politically driven response” to the worsening insecurity across the country.

The opposition party said, although it supports the creation of state police as part of Nigeria’s long-term constitutional reform, the process must not be handled as a quick fix to the country’s escalating cases of banditry, kidnapping and terrorism.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC warned that state police would only succeed if backed by strong institutions, independent oversight, judicial autonomy, intelligence coordination, modern correctional services and wider police reforms.

The party said, “ADC supports state police. We have always believed that Nigeria’s policing architecture must evolve to reflect the realities of our federal system. But support for state police cannot be confused with support for the Tinubu administration’s handling of this important national reform.

“What we are witnessing is a hurried response to a worsening security crisis, not the careful institutional planning required to build a functional, accountable, and effective policing system.”

The ADC said decentralised policing had been part of Nigeria’s political and constitutional debate for decades, adding that the Tinubu administration should not present it as a new initiative or an instant solution to insecurity.

The statement added, “What is new is the attempt by the Tinubu administration to package this long-standing national consensus as a bold new initiative and, worse, to present it as a silver bullet for the country’s current security crisis. It is neither.

“State police is a structural reform whose benefits will only be realised over time. It cannot, by itself, solve today’s emergency.”

The party warned that rushing the bill through the National Assembly without broad consultation could be counterproductive, especially because the reform could alter the country’s constitutional structure.

According to the ADC, Nigerians deserve reforms that are carefully designed to succeed, not policies introduced merely to create the impression that government is taking action.

The party also questioned the timing of the administration’s renewed interest in state police, saying the process should not be rushed close to another election cycle.

It said, “After all, if President Tinubu were genuinely committed to state police, why did it take his administration almost until the end of its tenure to begin rushing through a constitutional amendment?

“Nevertheless, passing a law is only the beginning, and probably the easiest part, of a complex process. Recruitment, vetting, training, equipment, funding, command structures, operational guidelines, and independent oversight cannot be created overnight, especially as the country approaches another election cycle.”

The ADC further asked what mechanisms would prevent state police from becoming tools of political intimidation in the hands of governors or other state actors.

It said, “What safeguards will prevent state police from becoming instruments of political intimidation? What guarantees exist for genuinely independent state legislatures and judiciaries capable of exercising meaningful oversight?

“Who will regulate recruitment, deployment, discipline and funding? Where are the accompanying reforms to prosecution, correctional services, forensic capacity and intelligence coordination?”

The ADC said state police must not be treated as a substitute for reforming the Nigeria Police Force, stressing that the federal police would still play a major role in national security, counterterrorism, interstate crime and intelligence coordination.

“If the structural deficiencies of the existing police are left unaddressed, creating another policing layer simply duplicates weakness instead of multiplying effectiveness,” the party said.

It added that its manifesto supports a multi-layered policing system involving federal, state and community policing, with clear jurisdictions, enforceable national standards, independent oversight and stronger community intelligence.

The party maintained that policing alone could not guarantee security unless supported by functional courts, professional prosecution, forensic capacity, technology, correctional reform and accountable institutions.

“That is the comprehensive security architecture an ADC government will build,” the statement added.