State Police Bill Passed: Are We Ready For Governor's Personal Army?

The Senate on Wednesday passed the State Police Bill, 2026, and Nigerians are already divided on whether this is a solution or a setup. Former Minister Solomon Dalung came out strong, calling it a political ploy to deceive us before the 2027 election. He said the timing is wrong, the motivation is political, and the bill will only compound our security problems by giving governors tools to victimize political opponents.

Dalung raised a point that got me thinking — if over 5 trillion naira was voted for security and we still cannot sleep with our two eyes closed, what exactly will state police do differently? He said the current security architecture only protects criminals, not citizens. Criminals drive freely past checkpoints with their arms and nobody stops them. But if a Nigerian takes a knife to defend himself, he is the one who gets arrested. That one hit home.

I am not against state police in principle. But I look at how some governors run their states — using local government funds like personal accounts, turning traditional rulers into political errand boys. Give them police force and see what happens to opposition supporters. The bill has emergency intervention powers for the Federal Government, but we all know how these checks work in practice. Be honest, are we truly ready for this or are we just desperate for anything different?