Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who represents Abia South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has cautioned the Federal Government against allowing state governors to control funds allocated to proposed state police formations, warning that such an arrangement could undermine the effectiveness and independence of the security system.
Speaking during deliberations on the State Police Bill at the Senate, Abaribe argued that placing financial control of state police institutions in the hands of state governments would expose the proposed security architecture to political interference and financial manipulation.
The senator expressed concern that the experience of local government administration in Nigeria offers a clear lesson on the dangers of allowing governors unrestricted control over funds meant for constitutionally established institutions.
“If governors control state police funds, they may destroy it like they did local governments,” Abaribe warned during the debate, stressing that the success of state policing would depend largely on guaranteeing its operational and financial independence.
He maintained that while the establishment of state police has become increasingly necessary in addressing Nigeria’s growing security challenges, adequate constitutional safeguards must be put in place to prevent abuse by state executives.
According to the lawmaker, funding for state police should be expressly guaranteed by the Constitution and paid directly to an independent State Police Commission rather than passing through state governments.
Abaribe explained that direct funding would strengthen accountability, protect the autonomy of state police institutions, and prevent undue political influence over security operations.
He argued that an independent funding mechanism would enable state police commands to perform their constitutional responsibilities professionally, without being subjected to the financial discretion of governors.
The senator noted that Nigeria’s current security challenges require innovative reforms, including decentralising policing, but insisted that decentralisation must not create another avenue for political control.
He observed that concerns over abuse of state police by governors have remained one of the major obstacles to the passage of legislation establishing state policing across the country.
To address these concerns, Abaribe proposed that the Constitution should clearly define the funding framework, governance structure, and operational independence of state police institutions.
He said such constitutional provisions would ensure transparency, accountability, and professionalism while preventing the mistakes that have affected the administration of local governments over the years.
The Senate has continued deliberations on the State Police Bill as lawmakers seek a framework capable of strengthening internal security while balancing the powers of the federal and state governments.
The debate over state policing has intensified in recent years amid rising cases of insecurity, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal conflicts, and other violent crimes across the country. Many stakeholders have advocated the creation of state police as a means of improving intelligence gathering, rapid response, and community-based policing.
However, concerns persist over the possibility of political misuse of state police by state governments, making issues of funding, oversight, and constitutional safeguards central to the ongoing legislative discussions.
Abaribe’s intervention adds to growing calls for an independent institutional framework that would ensure state police operate effectively while remaining accountable to the law rather than to the political interests of state executives.
