Senator Imasuen Backs State, LG Policing as Solution to Insecurity

By Osehobo Ofure, Benin City

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions and Senator representing Edo South, Mr. Neda Imasuen, has said that the establishment of state and local government police will address insecurity across Nigeria.

Senator Imasuen said the escalating security threat posed by armed groups, particularly in many parts of the country where the presence of unidentified individuals from other regions has raised suspicions about their true intentions is worrisome.

He questioned the nationality of some of these armed groups, suggesting that not all may be Nigerians — a concern that has heightened fear and tension in affected communities.

“These people say they are hunters, but can there be more hunters than the southerners? I don’t think so. For you to leave your region and come deep into the southern forests and claim to be hunting is highly questionable. What do they do with the game they hunt? I don’t see a market where they sell their exploits. It’s confusing to me,” he said.

He highlighted the inadequacy of the current centralized policing system, arguing that decentralizing security by empowering state and local governments to operate their own police forces would be a more effective approach.

“Nigeria is too vast for a single police force to cover effectively. Other countries have local governments with their own police forces. We’ve seen a good example in the western part of Nigeria with the Amotekun Security Network, where trained vigilantes are working effectively to protect their communities.”

He added, “State police would help us secure our homes, streets, and forests. As it stands, the Nigerian Police Force is overstretched and cannot cover every nook and cranny of the country.”

Senator Imasuen acknowledged that state policing comes with both benefits and potential risks but maintained that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

He also commended the Edo State Government’s efforts in reconstituting local vigilante groups to enhance grassroots security.