Insecurity: Ex-Plateau rep pushes for state police, prosecution powers for vigilantes

Dachung Musa Bagos, a former member of the house of representatives, has called for the establishment of state police to tackle insecurity in the country. 

Bagos, a former representative of the Jos south/Jos east federal constituency, spoke on Focus Nigeria, a political programme on AIT.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member said state police is crucial to effectively addressing the country’s security challenges.

He alleged that the security situation in Nigeria has deteriorated to the point where existing structures are no longer sufficient.

He attributed the situation to a combination of factors, including the “influx of foreign elements” into Nigerian communities and the inadequate number of police officers to secure the country.

“What has increased our level of insecurity in Nigeria is as a result of how our communities have been infiltrated by people that are not even Nigerians,” Bagos said.

“Our areas, in terms of security, don’t have actual numbers to be able to police our people. Nigeria is even below the UN Charter of one police to over 200 or 400 people”.

Bagos called for the formalisation of existing community policing efforts, particularly vigilantes, who he believes are vital to maintaining grassroots peace.

He suggested granting legal authority to the community security structures to arrest and prosecute offenders, adding that it would improve their crime-fighting capabilities.

“So having the state police and having the local police is just a matter of now; the vigilante and the community police that we already have in existence, to officially formalise them as people with authority that they can really arrest and prosecute,” he said.

“Because now they can only give information, arrest and hand over to higher authorities. So, when you give them that formal powers, they can be able to arrest and prosecute.”

In December 2024, Uba Sani, the governor of Kaduna state, said 36 state governments have submitted reports on the establishment of state police to the National Economic Council (NEC).

The Kaduna governor added that the police, the army, and other relevant security agencies do not have enough personnel to cover all the states.

“That is the reason why most of us agreed that the establishment of state police in Nigeria is the way forward to address the problem of insecurity in the country,” he said.