Senator Ndume explains state police support citing Nigeria's critical officer shortage

Senator Ali Ndume of Borno South stated he fully backed Nigeria's state police bill due to the country's severe police shortage, speaking on Arise Television's 'Prime Time' program yesterday. He emphasized Nigeria needs at least one million officers for its over 200 million population, far below the UN benchmark of 200-400 officers per 100,000 people.

The Senator argued that centralized policing under a single Inspector General of Police cannot effectively secure a vast nation like Nigeria, pointing to the current system's inadequacy in addressing widespread insecurity. Ndume advocates for decentralizing police under state governors, who serve as chief security officers in their respective states.

His comments came immediately after the Senate passed the state police bill on Wednesday, aimed at tackling Nigeria's persistent security challenges. Ndume dismissed concerns about potential misuse, stating governors misusing state police would face sanctions—a point echoed by other lawmakers like Senator Adaramodu.

This debate centers on whether shifting police control to state governments will improve local security responses or introduce new risks of politicization and abuse. With Nigeria's current police force widely seen as overstretched and ineffective against insurgency and banditry, the proposal represents a significant shift in federal security architecture.

Will state police under governors actually enhance safety in your community, or could it lead to uneven protection and increased abuse of power across different states?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/06/25/why-i-supported-state-police-bill-ndume/