Centralised Versus State Policing in Nigeria: A Strategic Assessment of Implications for National Security and Security Governance

Abstract

This study provides a quantitative assessment of the implications of centralised and decentralised (state-based) policing models for national security and security governance in Nigeria. Although Nigeria operates a federal constitutional framework, it maintains a centralised policing system under the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), a legacy of colonial administration and prolonged military rule. Persistent security threats including insurgency in the Northeast, banditry in the Northwest, rising kidnappings for ransom, and recurrent communal violence combined with deficient police to population ratio have renewed demands from policymakers and civil society for more locally responsive policing, particularly through decentralisation of the NPF. Drawing comparative insights from policing frameworks in the United States, India, Brazil, and South Africa, the study evaluates how alternative policing arrangements influence national unity, federalism, and operational efficiency of the police. Data were collected from 420 respondents across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones using stratified random sampling and structured questionnaires, and were analysed through multiple regression, correlation, and ANOVA. The findings indicate that centralised policing strengthens perceptions of national cohesion but undermines operational efficiency of the police as well as local security responsiveness, and adherence to federal principles. By contrast, state or hybrid policing models show stronger associations with improved efficiency, accountability, and community trust, though they are perceived as more vulnerable to political interference and ethnic fragmentation. The study concludes that a carefully regulated hybrid system where the decentralised state policing operates under robust federal safeguards offers the most viable strategy for sustainable security governance in Nigeria.