I Am Concerned About What May Happen In Nigeria If State Police Is Eventually Established – Barr. Dantani

By Hamza Nuhu Dantani Esq.

I am concerned about what may happen in Nigeria if State Police is eventually established. The implications for our democracy, national unity, and the protection of fundamental rights deserve utmost consideration.

Establishing State Police may seem beneficial to some states, particularly in addressing local security challenges. However, the potential dangers, especially the risk of political manipulation, intimidation of opposition figures, and abuse of police powers by state governors, must not be underestimated.

Consider what reportedly happened on Friday, 30th October, 2026, when operatives of the armed state-owned Sokoto Marshals and the Sokoto State Community Guard Corps allegedly attacked the convoy of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Sokoto State, Hon. Manir Muhammad Dan’iya (Walin Sokoto).

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I strongly condemn this act and the reported harassment of opposition figures in Sokoto State. I equally condemn the Sokoto State Government and the Governor, HE. Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, for any attempt to use state-controlled security outfits to hunt down, intimidate, or silence political opponents. A democratic government must tolerate dissent, respect political pluralism and protect the rights of all citizens, irrespective of their political affiliations.

Unfortunately, the impression being created is that the Governor considers himself politically superior to the people of Sokoto State, as though the state belongs to him rather than to its citizens. Public office is a constitutional responsibility, not a personal possession, and the Governor must never lose sight of the fact that his authority derives from the people.

These are merely state-established marshals and community security operatives, reportedly recruited to support security operations, yet allegations of their involvement in political intimidation have emerged. They are also funded with public money meant to serve the people, not the political interests of those in power.

The question is: if these concerns can arise with state-controlled security outfits, what guarantees do Nigerians have that State Police will not become an instrument of political persecution, electoral manipulation, and the suppression of opposition voices?

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What happens when a governor uses the police to intimidate political opponents, silence critics, manipulate elections, or settle personal and political scores? What protection will ordinary citizens have when the very institution established to protect them becomes an instrument of oppression?

Nigeria must carefully examine these risks before embracing such a fundamental restructuring of its security architecture. Without strong constitutional safeguards, independent oversight, professional accountability, and effective protection against political interference, State Police could expose our fragile democracy to serious abuse.

Hamza N. Dantani Esq

Human Rights Activist