Magnus Onyibe Calls for State Police Reform in Nigeria

Magnus Onyibe, a former Delta State commissioner and public policy analyst, advocates for a fundamental overhaul of Nigeria's centralized policing system in his book, ‘The Imperative of State Police in Nigeria’. He argues that the current structure has failed to address the country's escalating security crisis, which includes terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping.

Onyibe proposes a decentralized, two-tier policing model that emphasizes community participation, modern technology, adequate funding, and safeguards against political abuse by governors. He reflects on the historical context of Nigeria's policing issues, noting that the military's past autocratic rule stifled dissent and left the populace vulnerable to non-state actors.

He emphasizes that state police are essential for effective grassroots intelligence and quicker response times to security threats. The interview with Sunday Ehigiator reveals Onyibe's long-standing advocacy for state police since the return to democracy in 1999, highlighting the urgent need for reform in Nigeria's security framework.