The Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organisation (GAFAMORG) and the National Conscience Party (NCP) have called for caution and deeper reflection in the ongoing national debate on the establishment of state police in Nigeria.
The groups in a statement cosigned by
Babatunde Agunbiade, Adeoye Ade Adewunmi and Vincent Odumemjenba,noted that Nigeria must resist the temptation of quick fixes that may carry long-term consequences.

Security reform must be carefully designed, democratically grounded, and socially responsive.
According to them, while Nigeria is confronted with a grave security crisis from banditry and kidnapping to communal violence and mass killings, the urgency for reform is evident.
The question is not merely whether reform is necessary, but whether the proposed solution is sustainable, just, and consistent with democratic principles.

“History offers a sobering lesson. The abuse of regional policing structures in the past contributed to political repression and instability, culminating in the 1966 Nigerian coup.
“This experience underscores the need for caution in adopting any decentralised policing framework without robust constitutional safeguards.
“The concern is that state police, if introduced without adequate checks, may create multiple centres of coercive power vulnerable to political control. In a context where institutions remain fragile, this raises legitimate fears about potential misuse against political opponents, civil society actors, and ordinary citizens,” they stated.

Rather than a hurried adoption of state police, GAFAMORG and NCP advocate a more measured and constitutionally grounded alternative: the full implementation of community policing within a clearly defined legal and institutional framework.
“Such a model prioritises democratic participation, transparency, and accountability. It ensures that policing is not only closer to the people but also subject to civilian oversight, including the involvement of community stakeholders, youth organisations, trade unions, and professional bodies.
“Furthermore, modern security challenges require modern responses. The deployment of technology, including surveillance systems and intelligence-driven policing, is essential in enhancing effectiveness while reducing reliance on force.

“Crucially, security cannot be divorced from social justice. The persistence of poverty, unemployment, and inequality continues to fuel insecurity across the country.
“Without addressing these root causes, no policing structure, however sophisticated, can deliver lasting peace.
“In this regard, the guiding principle of the National Conscience Party (NCP), the abolition of poverty remains central to any meaningful security reform.

“In the enduring spirit of Gani Fawehinmi: Security must serve the people — not power. Ultimately, the debate on state police must move beyond expediency to principle.
“Nigeria requires a security architecture that not only protects lives and property but also safeguards democratic freedoms and human dignity,” they noted.
The groups urged the National Assembly of Nigeria to approach this matter with the seriousness it deserves, ensuring that any reform adopted strengthens, rather than undermines, the constitutional order.