Former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, don come out to yarn say di current wahala for security for Nigeria no go fit solve by just creating state police alone. She talk say wetin we really need na constitutional restructuring, not just small patch wey go treat symptom but no cure di sickness.
For one public memorandum wey she write to President Bola Tinubu, National Assembly, state governors and all Nigerians, she explain say di renewed call for state police don bring back one of di most important conversation about how we dey govern ourselves. She note say many people dey support state police because insecurity don become serious, with terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, violent extremism and communal conflicts dey give central police system wahala wey dem no fit handle.
According to her, plenty Nigerians see state police as something wey don overdue to address di security challenges. She use findings from Afrobarometer show say 79% of Nigerians think say kidnapping and abduction be serious national problem, while 33% know somebody wey dem kidnap for di last five years. Di survey also find say 63% of respondents feel unsafe for dia homes or neighbourhoods for di previous year.
“These are not merely security statistics; they are indicators of a profound crisis of state effectiveness and citizen confidence,” she talk. While she support di idea of state police, she warn say make we no see am as complete solution to all di security wahala. She argue say Nigeria dey risk treat symptom instead of addressing di root cause of di problem. She insist say insecurity dey connected to deeper constitutional, governance and political economy failures wey don weaken state institutions and accountability.
“Di central question before Nigeria should not be whether governors ought to control police forces,” she yarn. “Di more important question is whether di constitutional architecture wey dey govern di Nigerian federation still fit for purpose.”
Ezekwesili maintain say Nigeria federal structure remain too centralised, wey concentrate authority, resources and political power at federal level even though di constitution call us federation. She note say di Constitution give Federal Government exclusive control over 68 items for di Exclusive Legislative List, wey leave states with limited authority over key governance and development functions. According to her, di state police debate focus on only one of many powers wey Federal Government monopolise.
“Police are merely one of 68 subjects constitutionally reserved for di Federal Government,” she talk, stressing say we need broader reforms to address di structural weaknesses wey dey fuel insecurity and underdevelopment.
Di former minister propose comprehensive restructuring programme wey go build around new constitutional framework wey go devolve powers to subnational governments, strengthen fiscal federalism, promote competitiveness, guarantee equal citizenship rights and enhance democratic accountability. She also call for citizens-led Sovereign National Conference and referendum on new constitution, describing such measures as essential to restore sovereignty to Nigerian people.
Ezekwesili urge Federal Government and other stakeholders to immediately commence citizen-driven constitutional reform process, saying na di most sustainable path to address Nigeria security and governance challenges.
