Anthony Kila: State Police Reform Risks Failure Without Fixing Nigeria's Governance Issues

Anthony Kila, who directs the Centre for International Advanced and Professional Studies, has issued a caution that Nigeria's proposed state police system could exacerbate the nation's security woes. This outcome is likely, he explained, if fundamental institutional frailties, political involvement in wrongdoing, and insufficient democratic oversight are not thoroughly addressed prior to its implementation.

Speaking on Friday during an interview on ARISE NEWS, where he reviewed the station's State Police Town Hall discussion, Kila expressed strong support for decentralisation and the establishment of state policing. However, he warned that such a reform might prove counterproductive if policymakers fail to incorporate robust safeguards against potential abuse and complicity. "State policing would not solve the problem. State policing is likely to exaggerate the question of complicity," Kila stated.

He further clarified that while state policing represents the correct path for Nigeria's security framework, its ultimate success hinges on confronting the country's inherent structural governance challenges, rather than merely assuming the new system will automatically resolve them. "One, I disclose I am fully for decentralisation of system, devolution of power. So, really, my bias is for state policing. But I understand the concern, and I think it’s a leadership test."

According to Kila, any framework designed for state police must account for Nigeria's weak institutional checks and balances. He elaborated, "We need to understand that we have a system where checks and balances are not so real. We have a system where, in too many cases, the state of assembly appendages of the executive." He argued that the legislation for state police should proactively anticipate potential abuses rather than presuming good governance, urging policymakers to deliberate on tough questions before proceeding. "We have to use the if-and-then methods to say, what will happen in case a governor goes rogue, in case a governor decides to use it, in case the House of Assembly decides not to play their role?"

Kila insisted that identifying these weaknesses should not deter the reform but instead inspire the creation of a stronger institutional design capable of preventing abuse. "I think that is the beauty and the joy of designers of new system, to examine the concept, to examine the operationality, to examine what possible hindrances."

Addressing concerns about the timing of the proposal and the risk of rushing the process before upcoming elections, Kila acknowledged these fears but emphasised that thorough preparation, not delay, should be the priority. "I fully understand the concerns of those saying that we’re rushing into this. We shouldn’t rush into it. We should get it right." He suggested piloting the initiative before national rollout, ensuring every operational aspect is meticulously examined. "I think we can pilot it State policing is a solution to security as well. We just need to get it right. Because if we don’t get it right, it will mar the whole thing and destroy the good idea forever."

Quoting from his recent book, Kila underscored that careful preparation, rather than mere political pronouncements, would ultimately determine the reform's success: "Leaders announce decisions, but history judges preparation."

Regarding worries about Nigeria's growing population and whether state police would have sufficient manpower, Kila advised a problem-solving approach. He suggested creating a 'spreadsheet mentality' to list every foreseeable challenge alongside practical solutions, weighing their costs and benefits. "What we need to do, in my mind, is to develop a spreadsheet mentality where on one column we identify all the issues and another column, we identify possible solutions to those problems, and we identify the cost and the benefit of those solutions."

He proposed that expanding local government structures and leveraging modern technology could help mitigate population-related policing difficulties. "The two solutions are you get more state police, sorry, more local authorities But also technology will make things a lot easier." Kila further contended that state police reforms should not be exclusively crafted by politicians, as elected officials naturally prioritise their own political interests. "If we leave things to politicians alone, they are likely to think in a way that would protect their interests, their partisan, personal, sectarian interests."

He advocated for experts, academics, civil society organisations, and the media to play crucial roles in shaping the framework. "We need experts. The problem is that if we leave things to politicians alone they are likely to think in a way that would protect their interests." Kila also linked Nigeria's weak legislative oversight to broader structural flaws within the country's presidential system. "By its nature, the presidential system is more partisan. It is prone to be centralised, if the majority of an assembly and the governor belong to the same party they are naturally more inclined to share the same ideology and ideas So it is easy for them to become rubber-stamped."

Despite these hurdles, Kila maintained that Nigeria should not abandon reform due to existing institutional weaknesses. "We cannot because of reality not dream and innovate and renew ourselves. We need to, we just need to factor it in. It’s an intellectual challenge." He concluded that while state police alone cannot resolve Nigeria's security crisis, a nuanced approach is required: "You’re supporting ideal and desire with reality We need to factor it in. It’s an intellectual challenge."