Preparations are in top gear for the public presentation of a new book titled The Imperative of State Police in Nigeria, authored by renowned media columnist, public policy analyst, democracy advocate and thought leader, Magnus Onyibe.
According to a statement issued by Inspire Media Services, the book is being presented against the backdrop of a “seemingly unrelenting wave of insecurity spreading across Nigeria,” as well as recent efforts by President Bola Tinubu to implement a framework for the establishment of state police in the country.
The statement, signed by Tervel T. Kejih, Head of Communication and Media Relations at Inspire Media Services, noted that the publication comes at a critical period in Nigeria’s history, when killings, kidnappings, banditry and other violent crimes have continued to escalate nationwide.
It observed that insecurity, which was initially concentrated in the North-East and parts of the North-Central region, has now spread extensively into South-West states such as Ondo, Ekiti and Oyo. This development has heightened fears that the menace could extend to Ogun and Lagos states if urgent measures are not taken.
The urgency of the security situation, the statement added, has been underscored by recent abductions of schoolchildren in Ogbomosho, Oyo State, and Uba Askira in Borno State.
The statement also referenced remarks attributed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who disclosed that the Presidency and the National Assembly are set to fast-track constitutional frameworks for the establishment of state police structures in Nigeria.
The book comprises 19 articles written and published by Onyibe in the mass media from 2002 to date. It chronicles the evolution of insecurity in Nigeria and presents compelling arguments for the establishment of state and local policing systems as a strategic response to the country’s security challenges.
Describing Onyibe as one of Nigeria’s most accomplished media columnists and respected thought leaders, the statement noted that the book assembles critical insights, historical perspectives and policy recommendations needed to guide lawmakers and policymakers in amending the 1999 Constitution to accommodate state and local policing structures.
The foreword of the book was written by Anthony Kila, while the afterword was authored by Tunji Alapini.
According to the statement, the publication aligns with recent calls by President Tinubu urging the National Assembly to amend the 1999 Constitution to accommodate state police as part of broader efforts to tackle insecurity threatening national stability, economic growth and social cohesion.
The statement further explained that Nigeria’s current centralised policing structure traces its roots to the Unification Decree No. 2 of 1966, introduced after the military coup that ended the First Republic and abolished the regional policing arrangement that previously existed.
It added that the date, venue and time for the public presentation are being finalised through consultations with key stakeholders, including the leadership of the National Assembly, the Office of the Inspector-General of Police, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Police Service Commission and other security agencies.
The event, expected to hold in Abuja, will attract lawmakers, policymakers, security experts, civil society leaders, media practitioners, traditional rulers, members of the diplomatic community and other stakeholders in Nigeria’s security and governance sector.
The author maintained that legislators, security stakeholders and readers alike will find the book invaluable in understanding the historical foundations of Nigeria’s current security crisis and the urgent need for institutional reforms capable of reversing the country’s insecurity challenges.