Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Amid the growing national debate over the creation of state police, the Ndigbo Worldwide Union has called for the restoration of regional police, describing state policing as a “dangerous distraction” that could be abused by state governors.
The group made its position known in a statement jointly signed by its President, Mazi Ben Nwankwo, and Secretary, Chief Charles Edemuzo.
While acknowledging the recent directive by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for constitutional amendments to allow state policing, the group argued that Nigeria’s security challenges would be better addressed through a return to the regional policing structure that existed before 1966.
According to the group, regional police remains the most practical pathway to restoring security, justice and national stability.
“Regionalism is the solution,” the statement declared, urging Nigerians to rally behind the call for regional policing.
The group said Nigerians were increasingly exhausted by persistent insecurity, including kidnappings, banditry and violent crimes across the country.
“The Ndigbo Worldwide Union stands firmly with millions of Nigerians who are weary of endless insecurity, bloodshed, kidnappings, banditry and the steady erosion of trust in national institutions,” the statement said.
It argued that although the President’s push for state police may be well-intentioned, it fails to address the deeper structural issues affecting Nigeria’s security architecture.
Citing historical precedents, the group maintained that Nigeria experienced its most stable and progressive period between 1955 and 1966, when the former regions — Northern, Western and Eastern — operated with significant autonomy, including regional police forces.
According to the union, indigenous officers who understood the language, culture and terrain of their communities ensured more effective policing during that era.
“The centralisation of policing after 1966 dismantled an efficient system and replaced it with a distant, overstretched national force that often deploys officers unfamiliar with the communities they serve,” the statement said.
The group argued that such deployments frequently create mistrust and weaken intelligence gathering at the grassroots.
It further noted that regional police would strengthen security by allowing officers drawn from each geopolitical zone to lead policing efforts with deeper cultural understanding and community trust.
The union also maintained that a regional structure aligned with Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones would prevent the potential misuse of police powers by individual governors, a concern often raised against state police.
According to the group, regional policing would also revive healthy inter-regional competition that once drove economic growth, agricultural productivity and industrial development across Nigeria.
The union therefore called on the Federal Government and the National Assembly to prioritise constitutional amendments that would allow regional police formations.
It warned that failure to adopt genuine federal principles in security and governance could further deepen national discontent.
“The time for cosmetic reforms is over,” the group stated. “Nigeria must return to a functional regional structure — or risk pushing its component peoples toward self-determination.”
The group urged Nigerians to support reforms that would restore regional autonomy in security management as part of broader efforts to stabilise the federation.
