Professor Ofonime Emmanuel Bassey is the Professor of Peace Leadership and Conflict Resolution, a UN Peacekeeping Veteran, Retired Senior Police Officer, Peace Systems Designer, Peace, Security and Governance Consultant, a Development and Public Policy Advisor, and a Public Theologian. In this interview with our reporter, he speaks on the State Police Bill recently passed by the National Assembly, expectations from states, and proposed gains for Nigeria, when assented to, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
EXCERPTS:
Professor Bassey, Nigeria has reached a historic point with the constitutional and legislative progress toward State Police. Do you believe this is a defining moment in Nigeria’s security evolution?
Absolutely. If implemented correctly, State Police could become one of the most significant reforms in Nigeria’s democratic history. For decades, the national conversation has focused on whether Nigeria needed State Police. That debate is largely over. The more critical question today is whether State Police will become just another security institution or part of a broader Integrated National Peace and Security Governance Framework. This distinction is crucial. State Police should not be seen as the end goal. Instead, it should be viewed as an essential part of a much larger peace and security system. Countries are not secure due to isolated institutions; they are secure when systems work together.
You have consistently advocated the principle of “Governance Before Guns.” What does that mean in practical terms?
Security failures rarely start with policing. They usually start with failures in governance. Where poverty rises; where unemployment persists; where justice is delayed; where institutions weaken; where corruption thrives; where citizens lose faith in government; insecurity inevitably follows. Police officers often have to address issues that began elsewhere. This is why I insist that Governance Before Guns is not just a slogan; it is a philosophy of national development. Good governance reduces the factors that lead to crime before enforcement is needed. State Police may improve policing, but it cannot replace responsible governance.
Now that reform is advancing, what should be Nigeria’s immediate priority?
Implementation, not celebration. History shows that legislation alone does not create effective institutions. Nigeria should focus on: operational doctrine, sustainable funding, merit-based recruitment, professional training, intelligence-sharing systems, human rights compliance, technology integration, performance evaluation, independent oversight, and Federal-State coordination. Creating institutions is relatively easy. Building trusted institutions is much harder.
Many Nigerians believe State Police will automatically improve security. Do you agree?
It certainly presents important opportunities. If managed properly, State Police can enhance community intelligence, early warning systems, rapid response, crime prevention, public trust, collaboration with traditional bodies, youth engagement, as well as community resilience. However, these benefits do not come automatically. Institutions succeed because they are well governed, not just because they exist.
Some critics fear State Police could become tools of political control. Is that concern justified?
Yes. This concern is valid and deserves serious attention. Nigeria has seen instances where public institutions became susceptible to political influence. The goal should not only be to decentralize policing. It should be to decentralize policing while also reinforcing constitutional safeguards. State Police must belong to the Constitution, not to political leaders.
What safeguards would you recommend?
Several are essential: Independent State Police Service Commissions, merit-based recruitment and promotion, multi-stage appointment processes, legislative confirmation of senior appointments, constitutionally protected tenure, independent operational funding, professional disciplinary systems, human rights oversight, civilian complaints commissions, judicial review, and uniform national professional standards. Nigeria should initiate a broader national discussion about insulating key democratic institutions from undue executive influence. Institutions like electoral bodies, anti-corruption agencies, human rights commissions, policing oversight bodies, and other strategic governance institutions perform best when their independence is legally secured. Strong democracies rely on strong institutions, not just strong personalities.
As a Peace Systems Designer, how does your Peace Systems approach reshape this conversation?
It completely changes the discussion. Most security debates focus almost entirely on police institutions. Peace Systems thinking starts with a different question: How do all national institutions collaborate to create peace? State Police is only one part of a larger system. A sustainable peace framework must include: Federal Government, State Governments, Local Governments, traditional institutions, religious bodies, families, schools, civil society, women’s organizations, youth organizations, the private sector, the media, the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, State Police, Civil Defence, Immigration, Customs, Correctional Services, Intelligence agencies, and the Judiciary. Peace arises when these institutions support one another rather than operate in isolation.
Why do you emphasize Local Governments so much?
Because security is fundamentally local. Crime begins locally. Conflict begins locally. Intelligence starts locally. Peace starts locally. Local Governments are the constitutional institutions closest to the people. If Local Governments remain weak, State Police alone cannot provide sustainable security. Community governance is the basis for community security.
Akwa Ibom State recently announced plans to integrate village youth presidents into community security structures. What lessons can Nigeria learn from this?
I see it as a practical example of preventive security governance. His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno, PhD, recognizes an important reality: Every community has individuals who understand its local dynamics. Integrating Village Youth Presidents into organized community intelligence and early-warning systems strengthens preventive security before issues arise.
Crime is local. Therefore, prevention must also be local. State Police should support, not replace community security structures.
How should State Police interact with the Nigeria Police Force?
Through cooperation, not competition. Federal Police should continue to focus on: Terrorism, Interstate crime, Organized crime, Cybercrime, Border security, National intelligence, Strategic investigations. State Police should concentrate on: Community policing, Local crime prevention, Public safety, Neighborhood security, and community engagement. The future is integration, not duplication.
How should Nigerians gauge the success of State Police?
Not by the number of officers recruited or stations opened. Success should be measured by outcomes, including: Reduced violent crime, Faster emergency response, Improved public confidence, Better intelligence gathering, Fewer human rights complaints, Stronger community participation, Improved inter-agency cooperation, Greater accountability, and Safer communities. Ultimately, the most important measure is whether Nigerians truly feel safer in their homes and communities.
Beyond State Police, what other reforms should Nigeria pursue?
State Police should be seen as the beginning, not the end of security reform. Nigeria should also strengthen Local Government security coordination, national intelligence integration, digital security infrastructure, peace education, civic education, youth employment, justice-sector reform, community policing, engagement with traditional institutions, faith-based peacebuilding partnerships, institutional accountability, early-warning and early-response systems. Security reform must include governance reform.
What message do you have for state governors?
Prepare for responsibility before celebrating authority. State Police is not an extension of political power. It is an increase in public responsibility. Invest in institutions, not just uniforms. Invest in in professional recruitment, continuous training, technology, personnel welfare, insurance, iindependent oversight, human rights compliance, community engagement, and public trust. History will not remember governors because they established State Police. History will remember whether citizens became safer under their leadership.
Finally, what is your message to President Tinubu, the National Assembly, and all policymakers?
Nigeria is at a historic crossroads. State Police should serve as a catalyst for creating an Integrated National Peace and Security Governance Framework, where governance, justice, intelligence, community participation, constitutional institutions, professional policing, and responsible leadership work as a coordinated system.
The NISSI Institute recommends establishing a National Commission on Peace and Security Governance Reform to oversee implementation, harmonize standards across the nation, monitor institutional performance, and evaluate the impact of decentralized policing within a larger national peace framework. The safest nations are not necessarily those with the largest number of armed personnel. They are those with the strongest institutions, the highest levels of public trust, accountable leadership, and a firm commitment to justice and the rule of law.
As I have consistently maintained, Governance Before Guns remains the enduring foundation of lasting peace and security. As Scripture reminds us: “Where there is no counsel, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.” – Proverbs 11:14. Also, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” – 1 Corinthians 14:40. Nigeria’s security future will ultimately depend not just on the institutions it builds, but on the wisdom, integrity, discipline, accountability, and vision guiding those institutions.
Who is Professor Ofonime Emmanuel Bassey?
Professor Ofonime Emmanuel Bassey, is a Professor of Peace Leadership and Conflict Resolution. I am a UN Peacekeeping Veteran and a Retired Senior Police Officer. I also work as a Peace Systems Architect, Developer of the Peace-Leading Framework, Pioneer of Peace Systems Science, Peace, Security, and Governance Consultant, Public Policy Advisor, and Public Theologian.
I founded and served as President of the NISSI Global Institute (Institute for Leadership, Peace and Security), the Peace-Leading Leaders Movement, and the International Association of Peace-Leading Professionals (IAPP). I advise governments, faith communities, educational institutions, civil society organizations, and private sector leaders on peacebuilding, conflict prevention, governance, institutional transformation, security leadership, and sustainable development.
As the Developer of the Peace-Leading Framework and a Pioneer of Peace Systems Science, I promote a new interdisciplinary field. This field combines leadership, governance, security, institutional development, and peacebuilding into a systems-based approach for promoting sustainable peace, resilience, justice, and human flourishing.
