Former Education Minister and founder of the School of Politics, Policy and Governance, Oby Ezekwesili, has argued that constitutional restructuring—not the creation of state police alone—is the lasting solution to Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.

In a public memorandum addressed to President Bola Tinubu, the National Assembly, state governors and Nigerians, Ezekwesili said the renewed campaign for state police has revived one of the country’s most significant governance debates.

She acknowledged that support for state police has grown amid escalating insecurity, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, violent extremism and communal conflicts, which have stretched the capacity of the centrally controlled police system.

According to her, many Nigerians view state police as a long-overdue response to the country’s security challenges.

She cited findings from Afrobarometer showing that 79 per cent of Nigerians consider kidnapping and abduction a serious national problem, while 33 per cent know someone who has been kidnapped in the last five years. The survey also found that 63 per cent of respondents felt unsafe in their homes or neighbourhoods within the previous year.
“These are not merely security statistics; they are indicators of a profound crisis of state effectiveness and citizen confidence,” she said.

While supporting the idea of state police, Ezekwesili cautioned that it should not be seen as a complete solution to the country’s security woes.

She argued that Nigeria risks treating a symptom rather than addressing the root cause of the problem, insisting that insecurity is fundamentally linked to deeper constitutional, governance and political economy failures that have weakened state institutions and accountability.

“The central question before Nigeria should not be whether governors ought to control police forces,” she said. “The more important question is whether the constitutional architecture governing the Nigerian federation remains fit for purpose.”

Ezekwesili maintained that Nigeria’s federal structure remains excessively centralised, concentrating authority, resources and political power at the federal level despite the country’s constitutional designation as a federation.

She noted that the Constitution grants the Federal Government exclusive control over 68 items on the Exclusive Legislative List, leaving states with limited authority over key governance and development functions.

According to her, the state police debate focuses on only one of many powers monopolised by the Federal Government.
“Police are merely one of 68 subjects constitutionally reserved for the Federal Government,” she said, stressing that broader reforms are required to address the structural weaknesses fueling insecurity and underdevelopment.

The former minister proposed a comprehensive restructuring programme built around a new constitutional framework that would devolve powers to subnational governments, strengthen fiscal federalism, promote competitiveness, guarantee equal citizenship rights and enhance democratic accountability.

She also called for a citizens-led Sovereign National Conference and a referendum on a new constitution, describing such measures as essential to restoring sovereignty to the Nigerian people.

Ezekwesili urged the Federal Government and other stakeholders to immediately commence a citizen-driven constitutional reform process, saying it offers the most sustainable path to addressing Nigeria’s security and governance challenges.