State police without guaranteed funding risks abuse by governors, says Bamidele
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele has warned that establishing state police without constitutionally guaranteed funding could expose the proposed security system to abuse by governors, influential individuals and criminal groups.
Speaking on Thursday at an Arise TV town hall meeting on state police in Abuja, Bamidele said concerns surrounding the creation of state police are valid and stem from Nigeria’s past policing experience.
He stressed that accountability and financial independence must be central to the proposed framework to ensure the protection of citizens.
According to him, beyond political interference, inadequate funding remains one of the biggest threats to the effectiveness of state police, noting that whoever controls police finances ultimately controls its operations.
“If the state police is not well funded, it’s not only the state actors or politicians that can abuse this. Members of the business class, some organisations, criminals and cabals can also exploit it because he who pays the piper dictates the tune,” he said.
He warned that without sustainable funding, the state police system could become “a highway to nowhere.”
Bamidele proposed that the law should provide a first-line charge for state police funding to prevent governors from using budget allocations to influence police commands.
He also recommended setting aside a fixed percentage of state budgets for policing, backed by clear legal provisions on how the funds should be accessed and managed.
The Senate leader added that constitutional amendments alone would not be sufficient to address concerns over state policing. He said the National Assembly plans to amend the Police Act and introduce additional legislation to clearly define operational responsibilities, funding mechanisms and safeguards against abuse.
Bamidele further argued that the success of state police is closely linked to the autonomy of local governments.
Also speaking at the event, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu said Nigeria’s centralised policing structure has failed to adequately protect lives and property.
Kalu said consultations conducted by the House of Representatives revealed widespread public support for decentralising policing.
He explained that the current system often delays emergency responses because operational approvals are issued from Abuja, while officers are frequently deployed to areas they are unfamiliar with.
“If the authorisation point is in Abuja and events are happening far from Abuja, by the time the authorisation comes, an incident of crime has already taken place,” Kalu said.
He added that delayed responses often make situations irredeemable, defeating the primary objective of policing, which is to protect lives and maintain public safety.
