The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has issued a stark warning to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government, cautioning that without sweeping reforms to Nigeria’s policing system, the proposed establishment of state police could be exploited by governors particularly in the North to manipulate the 2027 general elections and potentially unseat the president.
In a statement signed by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Deputy President General, and Chief Chinenyeze Ohia, National Spokesman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the organisation described Nigeria’s current security structure as a “dilapidated remnant of military-era federalism” that has collapsed under the weight of its own contradictions and mismanagement.
Ohanaeze warned that the country is now battling a dual crisis: a failing national security apparatus and the breakdown of an over-centralised political structure that empowers a “select political class masquerading as democrats.”
According to the statement, the worsening wave of insecurity marked by kidnappings, banditry, terrorism, and what the body described as “genocidal violence” across both Christian and Muslim communities has not only heightened domestic fear but has also damaged Nigeria’s global reputation and deepened economic hardship.
Ohanaeze argued that the only sustainable path out of this crisis is a full reconstruction and renegotiation of the Nigerian federation to usher in true federalism and regional autonomy, including the creation of independent state policing systems.
While noting that many states agree that the centralized police structure has failed, the group emphasised that genuine reforms not just decentralization are needed to protect Nigerians from both criminals and politically motivated abuses.
The organisation expressed particular concern over the recent endorsement of state police by Northern Governors and traditional leaders. It alleged that many of these leaders have, over time, enabled the same insecurity they now seek powers to combat, with terrorism and banditry remaining pervasive in their regions.
Ohanaeze warned that giving governors control over armed security outfits without safeguards would be dangerous in an election season.
Beyond the fears of partisan misuse, the group also accused governors nationwide of attempting to undermine the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government autonomy through collaboration with state assemblies.
It described this pattern as evidence of a broader tendency to centralize power at the state level and disregard constitutional checks, a habit that could become even more dangerous if state police are created without strict reforms.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo is compelled to caution the Federal Government that if the National Assembly fails to implement airtight police reforms, some governors especially in the North may weaponize state police systems to perpetrate electoral malfeasance and ultimately unseat President Tinubu in 2027,” the statement reads.
The group therefore urged the National Assembly to immediately begin crafting robust legal frameworks that would prevent abuse, ensure transparency, and guarantee that state police remain professional institutions serving public safety rather than political ambitions.
Ohanaeze reaffirmed its support for state policing as the only viable solution to Nigeria’s security crisis, but insisted that such a system must be accompanied by strong oversight and constitutional safeguards.
