A former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mike Ejiofor, has called for the immediate creation of state police in Nigeria, arguing it is the only way to effectively tackle the country’s growing security challenges, including terrorism, which is growing in the southwest part of the country.

Speaking in a recent interview, Ejiofor stressed that local security forces have a much better understanding of the communities they serve. They know the terrain, the culture, and the people—knowledge that federal police from outside the region often lack. This local advantage, he argued, is key to fighting terrorism and kidnapping.

Ejiofor pushed back against claims that security agencies have failed in terms of intelligence gathering. Instead, he said the real problem is a lack of resources, training, and manpower among the action agencies. When security fails, he explained, it is a collective failure—and citizens must step up to support security efforts.

He also raised a new alarm: terrorist activities are shifting from the North to the South-West. This, he noted, makes the case for state police even more urgent. Police officers need to be familiar with the culture and language of the regions they work in to do their jobs effectively.

Ejiofor concluded that the current federal police structure is not designed to handle the specific security needs of every area across Nigeria. Without state police, he warned, the country will continue to struggle to protect its citizens at the local level.

Key Takeaways:

• Lack of state police is holding back Nigeria’s fight against insecurity.
• Terrorists are now shifting focus from the North to the South-West.
• Local knowledge of culture and terrain is vital for effective policing.
• Federal police alone cannot meet the needs of every community.