• Recruit, train operatives, appoint commanders, strengthen security structures
From Fred Itua, Jude Idu, Abuja; Joe Obukata Ogbodu, Warri; Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo; Jude Dangwam, Jos; Noah Ebije, Kaduna; George Onyejiuwa, Owerri; Scholastica Hir, Makurdi; John Bassey, Gusau; Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa; Isaac Job, Uyo; Jude Chinedu, Enugu; John Adams, Minna; Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Ondo; Lateef Dada, Osogbo; Lukman Olabiyi, Lagos; Tony John, Port Harcourt; Abel Leonard, Lafia; Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar; Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja; and Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, governors across the country are strengthening and repositioning existing vigilance and community security outfits in anticipation of the proposed establishment of state police, even as the constitutional amendment required to give effect to the new policing arrangement remains unfinished.
Investigations by Daily Sun correspondents across the federation revealed that several states have stepped up recruitment and training of security personnel, appointed commanders, approved operational vehicles and uniforms, reviewed existing security laws and developed administrative structures that could eventually provide the foundation for state police services.
While some governors have openly identified existing security organisations as potential take-off platforms, others are expanding community protection arrangements and strengthening their security architecture without formally announcing plans to convert the outfits into state police.
The developments are taking place against the backdrop of persistent insecurity and preparations for the 2027 general elections, with the presidential and National Assembly polls scheduled for January 16 and the governorship and State Assembly elections fixed for February 6.
Although the investigations did not establish that the measures were specifically designed to influence the elections, the prospect of state-controlled police services has renewed questions about political interference, recruitment standards, funding, command structures and safeguards against possible abuse of power.
The proposed constitutional amendment, transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly by the National Assembly on September 16, had secured the approval of only five states — Edo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers and Zamfara — as of October 15.
Under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the proposal requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly, representing 24 states, before the constitutional alteration process can be concluded.
The National Assembly had requested that the state legislatures communicate their decisions within 30 days, although the period was an administrative target rather than a constitutional deadline.
The slow pace of legislative approval contrasts with developments in several states, where existing vigilance organisations have continued to receive personnel, equipment and administrative support.
The Presidency, meanwhile, disclosed on Thursday that the proposed National Policing Bill, which is expected to provide an operational framework for the decentralised policing arrangement, was 90 per cent ready for transmission to the National Assembly.
Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, who chairs the Presidential Working Group on the legislation, said the bill could be transmitted within two weeks after outstanding issues were resolved.
“The National Policing Bill is more or less ready for transmission to the National Assembly. We will probably have one more meeting after this to cross the t’s and dot the i’s and make sure every area is covered. So, we are 90% ready,” he said.
Gbajabiamila acknowledged that governors still had observations on the proposed legislation but expressed confidence that the outstanding issues would be resolved.
“The governors have one or two observations, and we should be ready in about a week or so,” he added.
Despite the unfinished legislative processes, investigations across the states revealed varying levels of preparedness, with some governments pursuing identifiable transition arrangements while others have concentrated on strengthening existing security outfits.
In Kaduna, the government has gone beyond expressions of support for state policing by identifying the Kaduna State Vigilance Service as the potential foundation for the proposed arrangement.
Commissioner for Internal Security, Sule Shu’aibu, said the existing vigilance organisation would serve as the “take-off” platform for state policing when the necessary legal framework becomes operational.
According to him, the government has reviewed the law governing the outfit, developed operating procedures and trained about 300 personnel as part of efforts to strengthen its capacity.
The state’s revised 2024 budget also made provision of N49.95 million for uniforms, reflecting earlier investment in the vigilance organisation.
In Plateau, the government has constituted a 14-member committee headed by retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police Habila Joshak to develop a framework for state policing.
The committee, inaugurated on March 10, has held public engagements across the three senatorial districts as part of consultations on the proposed arrangement.
The state is also considering building on its existing Operation Rainbow security outfit, which graduated 1,450 operatives in December 2025.
The consultations and training arrangements have placed Plateau among states with identifiable preparatory structures, although the eventual composition and command of a state police service would depend on the enabling legislation.
Taraba has equally strengthened its Marshall security outfit, appointing commanders across the state’s 16 local government areas and two special development areas.
The government has provided Hilux vehicles, introduced distinct uniforms and approved outstanding allowances for personnel, while arrangements to integrate operatives into the civil service payroll have commenced.
Although the Marshall organisation currently operates within the state’s existing security framework, its expanded command structure and administrative arrangements could become relevant should the government decide to establish a state police service.
In Imo, Governor Hope Uzodimma inaugurated 7,000 vigilance personnel in January following training at the Police College, Nekede.
The operatives reportedly receive monthly remuneration ranging from N100,000 to N130,000, while the government has continued to express support for the establishment of state police.
Reports that some personnel were equipped with pump-action firearms also raise questions about the legal authorisation, training and supervision of armed operatives within existing community security arrangements.
In Delta, the government has continued to strengthen its security infrastructure through Operation Delta Sweep, a rebranded version of Delta Hawk, which receives funding through the state’s security arrangements.
The State Executive Council approved N34 billion in March for the construction of 25 divisional police headquarters, a development that reflects substantial investment in policing infrastructure, although the project has not been established as part of a formal state police transition programme.
Government sources indicated that existing vigilance organisations could eventually be accommodated within a broader security structure under the proposed policing arrangement.
However, the State House of Assembly had yet to approve the constitutional amendment, while details of any formal transition framework remained unclear.
Benue has also expanded its community protection arrangements through the Civil Protection Guards, launched in December 2024 with 5,000 personnel.
The organisation has a legal framework and receives budgetary support, while the government has indicated plans to recruit an additional 5,000 operatives.
Officials said stakeholder consultations on the proposed state policing arrangement had commenced, although uniforms specifically intended for a future state police service had not been procured.
In Zamfara, where banditry and attacks on rural communities remain major security concerns, the government has strengthened the leadership of its Community Protection Guards, popularly known as Askarawa.
The organisation, established under a 2024 law and funded through the State Security Trust Fund, recently received a new commandant, retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police Muhammad Shehu.
Although the outfit is not operating as a state police service, its existing personnel and command structure could provide an institutional base for future security reforms.
Bayelsa has similarly maintained its Community Safety Corps, established under a 2021 law that replaced earlier vigilance legislation.
The organisation operates with identifiable uniforms and security equipment, while its coordinator, Brigadier-General Eric Angaye, was recently screened for another four-year tenure.
The reported use of police-style uniforms and light arms by some personnel highlights the need for clear distinctions between community security organisations and constitutionally established police services.
In Akwa Ibom, the government has established the Ibom Community Watch and incorporated 2,277 village youth presidents into its security arrangements.
The state has also initiated legislative steps concerning state policing, although the Commissioner for Internal Security said no decision had been taken on whether members of the Community Watch would be absorbed into the proposed police structure.
The position reflects the uncertainty surrounding the fate of existing vigilance personnel, particularly whether they would be automatically integrated or required to undergo fresh recruitment, screening and professional training.
In the South-East, Enugu and Ebonyi have continued to strengthen their respective security organisations.
Enugu has appointed retired Colonel Dan Didiugwu to chair its Forest Guard and a retired deputy commissioner of police as commander.
The state also operates an artificial intelligence-enabled Command and Control Centre designed to support surveillance, intelligence gathering and coordinated security responses.
Although these arrangements could complement a future state police structure, the government has yet to confirm a comprehensive transition framework.
Ebonyi, on its part, operates a Neighbourhood Security Network comprising 1,365 personnel, with 105 operatives deployed in each of its 13 local government areas.
The organisation emerged following the court-ordered proscription of the earlier Ebubeagu security outfit and operates with uniforms, vehicles and other equipment.
Its commander, Nwenyi Chiboyi, said personnel receive their salaries regularly and urged Nigerians not to regard state police as an instrument that should be deployed against political opponents.
The warning draws attention to one of the longstanding concerns surrounding decentralised policing — the possibility that state-controlled security organisations could be subjected to political influence unless adequate institutional safeguards are established.
In Niger State, the government has consolidated several local security organisations, including Abi Doka and neighbourhood watch groups, into a Special Vigilante Corps.
The arrangement, introduced in 2021, was strengthened in 2024 with approval for operational structures at the state, local government and emirate levels.
The government has also standardised uniforms and is considering a review of existing legislation to accommodate changing security requirements.
Across the South-West, attention has increasingly shifted to the Amotekun security network as a possible foundation for state policing.
Ondo State has retained the leadership of its Amotekun Corps and pledged continued financial support for its operations.
In Osun, one of the states whose legislature has approved the constitutional amendment, sources close to the government indicated that South-West governors were considering the possibility of upgrading Amotekun to serve as a foundation for the proposed policing arrangement.
The regional outfit already has an established identity and operational presence, although any transition would require compliance with the eventual constitutional and statutory framework.
In Lagos, the Neighbourhood Safety Agency expressed readiness to align its operations with the proposed state policing system but stressed that a clear legal mandate would be required before such a transition could take place.
The agency’s position underscores the distinction between strengthening existing community security arrangements and establishing a police service with legally defined powers of investigation, arrest, detention and prosecution.
Kogi presents a different challenge, with concerns emerging over the suitability of existing vigilance personnel for absorption into a formal police organisation.
Sources close to the State Security Adviser suggested that many of the state’s approximately 2,500 vigilantes might not meet the physical and professional requirements for recruitment into a state police service.
According to the sources, more than 80 per cent of the personnel are considered too old or otherwise unsuitable for the demands of formal policing, making fresh recruitment and training a possible option.
Governor Usman Ododo had absorbed 1,050 vigilance personnel into the civil service in May, while sources indicated that arrangements for headquarters accommodation and a recruitment committee were being considered.
However, the differing accounts suggest that the state has yet to settle on a definitive model for converting or replacing its existing vigilance structure.
Investigations in Rivers, Nasarawa and Cross River revealed considerably less evidence of formal transition preparations.
Although Rivers maintains a Neighbourhood Watch arrangement, no official confirmation was obtained of new uniforms, command appointments or a comprehensive plan to convert the organisation into state police.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has, however, approved the constitutional amendment, placing the state among those that have formally endorsed the proposal.
In Nasarawa, investigations did not establish any verified programme of recruitment or restructuring specifically linked to the proposed state police service.
Cross River continues to rely on existing security initiatives, including Operation Okwok, while no confirmed state police transition bill was identified before the House of Assembly.
The Federal Capital Territory presents a separate constitutional and administrative question, as policing arrangements for Abuja would depend on the provisions governing the territory under the proposed federal and state policing framework.
Taken together, the findings reveal an uneven pattern of preparedness, with some governors identifying potential take-off platforms, others strengthening existing community security outfits and several states yet to establish any definite transition arrangements.
The developments also raise questions about the financial implications of decentralised policing, particularly for states already struggling with recurrent expenditure, personnel costs and competing development priorities.
While some states have established security trust funds or made substantial budgetary provisions for vigilance organisations, the cost of maintaining a professional police service would extend beyond uniforms, vehicles and salaries to training facilities, communications systems, forensic capacity, detention infrastructure, intelligence gathering and independent oversight.
There is also the question of personnel standards, especially in states where existing vigilance organisations comprise volunteers, community recruits or operatives whose qualifications may not meet the requirements of a formal police service.
The proposed system would equally have to address relationships between federal and state police organisations, including jurisdiction, intelligence sharing, operational coordination and responsibility for investigating crimes that cross state boundaries.
Of particular significance is the question of political control, especially as the country approaches another general election.
Although state police advocates have long argued that decentralisation would bring law enforcement closer to communities and improve responses to local security threats, concerns persist about the possibility of governors exercising undue influence over recruitment, deployment and enforcement.
Such concerns make provisions for independent appointments, professional discipline, transparent funding and protection against political interference important considerations in the proposed legislation.
For now, however, the preparations across the states appear to be moving at different speeds, with executive and administrative initiatives advancing in some places while the constitutional and legislative processes remain incomplete.
Whether the existing vigilance organisations eventually become the nucleus of state police services will depend not merely on the enthusiasm of governors but also on the legal framework, recruitment standards and accountability mechanisms ultimately approved.
With the 2027 elections approaching, the central challenge will be ensuring that the proposed policing reform strengthens public security without creating new avenues for political interference or weakening the professional standards expected of law enforcement institutions.
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