Decentralized Policing: A Better Security Model for Nigeria’s Diversity

In a large, multi-ethnic country like Nigeria, a unified defense force makes sense for national security, but a single, centralized police service risks internal colonization of minority regions. True independence means empowering each state to manage its own policing. Even under a unified Defense Ministry, army divisions should recruit locally while reporting to a central command. This balances national cohesion with respect for regional identities. Today, political leaders have armed tens of thousands of militia fighters who fund themselves by extorting communities. Groups like Boko Haram collect hundreds of millions in forced “taxes.” Decentralizing internal security and allowing communities to defend their territories is essential to dismantle these militias and uphold citizens’ rights.

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