Adebayo Advocates for State Police Reform in Nigeria

Prince Adewol Adebayo, a former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has reiterated his stance on the creation of state and local government police in Nigeria. In an interview conducted during the buildup to the 2023 presidential elections, Adebayo argued that Nigeria's highly centralized security structure has become ineffective and disconnected from local realities.

He emphasized that law enforcement should be empowered at the state level, as the current system, which relies heavily on federal control from Abuja, hampers timely justice and accountability. Adebayo pointed out that crimes such as murder, theft, and arson significantly affect daily life, raising questions about the limited operational control states have over policing.

He called for broader police reforms beyond mere decentralization, linking Nigeria's security challenges to a failure in economic governance. Adebayo rejected the notion that Nigeria's fiscal issues stem primarily from insufficient taxation, instead attributing revenue loss to resource theft and poor administration.

He cited crude oil theft and illegal mining as examples of areas needing stronger governance to improve national income.