Governor Uba Sani’s Early Advocacy Shapes Nigeria’s Path to State Police — Aide

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

History often remembers leaders not only for the reforms they accomplish but also for the courage to support ideas long before they become widely accepted.

In a statement signed by me, Rev. Emmanuel Adebayo, Senior Special Assistant (Resident Communities) to the Governor of Kaduna State, I noted that the Nigerian Senate’s recent passage of the Constitution Alteration Bill for State Police is one of those defining moments in Nigeria’s democratic and security journey since 1999.

Rev. Adebayo observed that although the amendment still needs approval from at least 24 State Houses of Assembly before presidential assent, the Senate’s action indicates a significant shift.

It reflects Nigeria’s growing determination to restructure its internal security framework to address the realities of a large, diverse, and complex federation.

In his assessment, he expressed that the discussion about the State Police did not start in this National Assembly. For over two decades, constitutional scholars, security experts, governors, legislators, retired military and police officers, and civil society organizations have debated whether a centrally controlled police system can effectively respond to localized threats in a country of Nigeria’s size and diversity.

He stated that as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal violence, and organized rural crime intensified—especially in Northern Nigeria—the debate shifted from academic to urgent public policy.

The issue was no longer whether these threats were real but whether the current institutional arrangement could respond with the speed, intelligence, and community trust needed.

According to the statement, one of the consistent voices in that national conversation has been the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani. I noted that his presence in the Senate during the consideration of the amendment was more than symbolic; it was a continuation of a journey that began when he served as Senator for Kaduna Central in the Ninth National Assembly, where he was among the prominent advocates of constitutional reforms to strengthen security through State Police.

Rev. Adebayo further explained that those early legislative efforts did not secure the constitutional approval needed for passage. However, they maintained an important national debate at a time when the proposal remained politically contentious.

“Rather than abandon the idea, Senator Sani continued to push for constitutional reforms that would allow local governments to play a more effective role in protecting lives and property, while maintaining national standards and accountability.”

He highlighted in the statement that the core argument has stayed the same: Nigeria’s security challenges increasingly originate in local environments.

Criminal networks exploit forests, difficult terrain, rural communities, and local knowledge. Effective policing, therefore, requires institutions that combine national coordination with local intelligence, community participation, and swift operational response.

He added that when Senator Sani became Governor of Kaduna State in May 2023, those ideas were tested in one of Nigeria’s most complex security environments. Kaduna’s strategic location, remarkable diversity, and history of insecurity demanded more than conventional policing could provide. It required an approach that integrated security operations with governance, dialogue, and development.

That approach, he said, has come to be known as the _Kaduna Peace Model_. It recognizes that lasting peace depends not only on kinetic operations but also on inclusive governance, infrastructure, financial inclusion, agricultural support, youth empowerment, interfaith dialogue, and active community participation. Security agencies remain essential, but communities become partners in maintaining peace.

He noted that this philosophy has shaped Governor Sani’s engagements on security sector reform. Through policy discussions, media interviews, and his Distinguished Lecture at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs in 2025, he argued that sub-national governments have unique capacities to strengthen Nigeria’s security system. He has consistently maintained that State Police should complement, not replace, the Nigeria Police Force.

Adebayo emphasized that this distinction is vital to the broader debate about Nigerian federalism. The question is whether constitutional responsibilities should evolve to meet changing security realities while safeguarding national unity, democratic accountability, and the rule of law. Supporters argue that officers recruited within states are better positioned to understand local languages, cultures, terrains, and community relationships, thus improving intelligence and response times.

He also acknowledged that critics have raised understandable concerns about potential political misuse of State Police by state governments. Governor Sani has maintained, and I reiterated, that the risk of abuse should inspire stronger institutional safeguards rather than hinder necessary reform.

These include recruitment standards, operational independence, legislative oversight, judicial review, professional ethics, and respect for fundamental rights.

He pointed out that, for ordinary Nigerians, constitutional debates matter only when they translate into everyday safety. Farmers in distant fields, traders on rural highways, students going to school, and families returning home are less interested in abstractions than in practical security and stability. They want to be confident that every level of government can protect them.

Adebayo added that, from that perspective, the State Police is not an end in itself but part of a broader security framework that must include intelligence reform, judicial efficiency, economic development, technological innovation, community engagement, and good governance. Sustainable peace arises from the interaction of these elements, not from any one institution acting alone.

In his view, this integrated approach has consistently shaped Governor Sani’s governance philosophy. His approach reflects the belief that security and development reinforce each other. Roads reconnect isolated communities, education creates opportunities for youth, financial inclusion boosts participation, dialogue builds trust, and responsive institutions foster public confidence.

He further noted in the statement that the journey toward constitutional approval of the State Police is not yet finished. The proposed amendment still needs to pass through the State Houses of Assembly before receiving presidential approval. That remaining phase offers another chance for constructive national engagement on implementation, funding, oversight, and institutional design.

He concluded by affirming that within this wider conversation, Senator Uba Sani has distinguished himself as an early and consistent supporter.

“As I said, his legislative initiatives as Senator, his ongoing public advocacy, policy interventions, and the _Kaduna Peace Model_ reflect a leadership philosophy rooted in the belief that effective security is strongest when governments work in partnership with the people they serve.”