The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has once again reignited national debate on the need for a state policing system, insisting that Nigeria can no longer afford to delay reforms to its security architecture.
Mr Kalu, who spoke with journalists in Abuja after returning from Geneva, Switzerland, where he represented Nigeria at the 55th Parliamentary Conference of the World Trade Organisation/Inter-Parliamentary Union (WTO-IPU) Public Forum 2025, argued that the centralised model of policing had overstayed its usefulness and was incapable of meeting Nigeria’s complex security needs.
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According to him, the State Police Bill before the National Assembly must be treated with urgency, as it holds the potential to reduce response time in tackling crimes and align Nigeria’s policing practices with international standards.
He said, “On the State Police Bill that is before the parliament, we are thinking about the response time of policing in Nigeria which at the moment is below the global standard. The only way we can achieve this is if we unbundle it from the way it is centralised like what other countries are doing: Municipal police, State Police. And just the constitution is clear on what is on the concurrent and exclusive lists.”
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Mr Kalu noted that while some critics fear that state police could be hijacked by governors or political actors, Nigerians should focus on the bigger picture, strengthening security for the majority rather than allowing fears of abuse by a few to hold the country back.
“So, we should be looking at the bigger picture. Everyone in Nigeria may not be a politician but everyone needs security of lives and property. So, we are saying which one should we go for? The greater good or the fear of the minor threat? I think we should go for the greater good so that the good in the majority will suppress the threat in the minority,” he added.
Growing demand for state police
For years, the call for state police has dominated Nigeria’s security discourse. Rising insecurity in different regions has made it increasingly clear that the centralised policing system is overstretched and unable to provide timely responses across the country.
In the North-west, banditry and mass kidnappings, particularly in Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, and Sokoto have overwhelmed the federal police, leaving communities vulnerable.
In the North-east, the military remains heavily engaged against Boko Haram and ISWAP, but localised policing is still weak.
The North-central faces farmer-herder clashes, communal violence, and rising insecurity in Plateau, Benue, and Niger states.
In the South-east, separatist agitations and violent attacks linked to “unknown gunmen” have created a climate of fear, with state governments arguing that a localised police force would respond more effectively.
The South-west has had relative peace but remains concerned about cross-border crimes, kidnappings, and the infiltration of criminal groups, prompting the region to create the Amotekun Amotekunoutfit as a stopgap.
In the South-south, oil theft, piracy, and militancy continue to threaten economic stability, making security decentralisation a recurring demand from states such as Rivers and Bayelsa.
Meanwhile, in the FCT and other urban centres, rising armed robbery and cultism underscore the need for policing tailored toward local realities.
There were arguments that decentralising police powers would enable states to recruit officers familiar with their terrain and language, thereby improving intelligence gathering and trust between communities and law enforcement.
To deepen national conversations on the issue, Mr Kalu disclosed that the parliament has scheduled a public hearing on the State Police Bill on Monday, inviting Nigerians across the country to share their views.
Standing with Tinubu on bold economic reforms
Beyond security, the deputy speaker also addressed Nigeria’s economic direction under President Bola Tinubu.
He praised the president for the courage to remove fuel subsidy and push through other difficult reforms, describing them as necessary sacrifices to reposition the economy.
Mr Kalu recalled that in the early days of subsidy removal, there were widespread fears that the country would slip into recession. Yet, he argued, Nigerians stood resilient, adapting to the realities of rising costs in the hope of long-term stability.
He said the courage displayed by Mr Tinubu has begun to yield dividends, pointing to improved revenue mobilisation and increased diversification efforts at the state level.
Pushing Africa’s digital trade agenda
Mr Kalu also drew attention to his role in shaping global trade discussions at the World Trade Organisation/Inter-Parliamentary Union (WTO-IPU) Forum in Geneva.
Nigeria, he said, was one of only eight countries represented on the steering committee on digital trade, which explored how emerging digital economies could drive inclusive growth.
He argued that for Africa’s flagship integration project, the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), to succeed, digital trade must be positioned at its core.
“Digital trade is taking the day across the world at the moment, increasing economic growth by about 25 per cent. We must fit into this space, both globally and as a continent,” he said.
Mr Kalu revealed that Nigeria and other African delegations successfully pushed for Afrocentric issues to be placed on the agenda for the upcoming WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaoundé, Cameroon, in March 2026.
Reserved seats for women
The Deputy Speaker also reaffirmed his commitment to the Reserved Seats Bill, a proposed constitutional amendment to increase women’s representation in parliament.
He emphasised that Nigeria’s democracy remained incomplete while women, who make up nearly half the population, continued to be marginalised in decision-making.
“You cannot talk about advancing democracy when you’re leaving 50 per cent of the population outside the room. It makes policies one-sided,” he said.
He pointed out that issues such as child rights, women’s rights, and humanitarian concerns often receive more serious attention when women are part of the legislative process.
He revealed that he and 12 other lawmakers were sponsoring the bill and that advocacy had begun early in the life of the current Assembly to give it a higher chance of success compared to past attempts.
The Abuja contractors’ dispute
Mr Kalu also highlighted his use of “legislative diplomacy” in managing domestic disputes, particularly the crisis involving local contractors in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who threatened to down tools over unpaid fees.
He explained that intervention meetings convened by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen with the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, the Accountant General of the Federation, Shamsudeen Ogunjimi, and other stakeholders resulted in the release of payments that pacified the contractors.
“We took the contractors off the streets. They kept their word not to return to protest, and government has kept its word by paying. We will review the situation again on the 21st of September to ensure progress continues,” Mr Kalu said.
On the persistent waste management crisis in Abuja, he promised to personally engage the Minister of the FCT to avert further disruptions, reminding residents that the National Assembly serves as their legislature since the territory lacks a state assembly.
Diaspora voting and national priorities
On diaspora voting, Mr Kalu reiterated his long-standing support for Nigerians abroad to participate in elections but cautioned that the country must first strengthen its domestic electoral system.
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“Rome was not built in a day,” he said. “It will happen, but we must first put our house in order. If Nigerians say during constitutional amendment hearings that they want it, we will look at the possibility,” he explained.
Despite his growing profile on the international stage, having been invited for further engagements at Harvard and Ben Kalu Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Mr Kalu insisted that Nigeria remains his top priority.
