By Peace Udugba
Retired Nigerian Army Major General Ishola Williams has said that the debate over state policing in Nigeria is largely misplaced, insisting that the country already operates a form of state police through regional security outfits and only requires constitutional backing to formalise the arrangement.
Williams made the assertion on Friday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State.
According to him, security networks such as the South-West’s Amotekun Corps already perform state policing functions but lack the constitutional framework needed to operate effectively.
“We’ve already got state police in practice. What we actually need now is a constitutional amendment to recognise and properly structure what already exists on the ground,” he said.
The retired general argued that continued calls for the creation of state police overlook the reality that sub-national security structures are already active across the country, although they remain legally constrained and poorly coordinated.
He attributed Nigeria’s worsening insecurity to policy confusion and overlapping responsibilities among security agencies, which he said often work at cross purposes.
Williams described the situation as a “dual national emergency,” where citizens are simultaneously confronted by insecurity and economic hardship.
“The reality is that Nigerians are now living in fear and deprivation at the same time. People cannot afford basic living, and at the same time, they cannot move safely. When both fear of hunger and fear of violence exist together, then the nation is in danger,” he stated.
He criticised the Federal Government’s handling of security challenges, particularly in the South-West, saying official responses often lack urgency and operational seriousness.
Williams also questioned the visibility of the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Homeland Security, arguing that despite rising insecurity across the country, there has been little public engagement or communication from the office.
“We have an office that was created for homeland security, but there is no public engagement, no briefing, no visible strategy. It raises serious concerns about whether the system is even coordinated,” he said.
The retired officer dismissed proposals to recruit large numbers of untrained operatives as ineffective in tackling organised criminal networks.
“So they felt the best thing is recruiting 1,000 forest guards. Have those 1,000 people been trained already to rescue kidnapped victims in the forests? Does it make sense?” he asked.
Williams further questioned the country’s intelligence and security coordination, revealing that colleagues abroad often express surprise at Nigeria’s apparent lack of strategic planning.
He lamented that several policy proposals he had submitted over the years, particularly on school protection, had received little attention from authorities.
“Do you know that nobody has taken up that proposal?” he said.
The former military officer also stressed the need to distinguish between public safety and national security, arguing that government agencies frequently confuse both concepts, leading to inefficiencies.“Stop confusing public safety with security. That is a confusion, and government itself is confused,” he stated.
He also questioned the visibility and effectiveness of the newly appointed Special Adviser on Homeland Security, Adeyinka Famadewa, saying little has been heard from the office since the appointment.
Williams criticised the official delegation that recently visited Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State following security concerns, describing the visit as lacking urgency.
“All of them were well-dressed. They were not going like people who were visiting an area facing serious security challenges,” he said.
He argued that symbolic gestures and routine visits cannot substitute for decisive operational responses to insecurity.
The retired general further criticised the belief that recruitment alone can solve kidnapping and banditry, stressing the need for specialised rapid-response units and improved intelligence gathering.
Referring to the recent abduction involving the sister of former Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, and her twin sons, Williams noted that security agencies responded swiftly to the incident.
“Within six hours, the police said they were doing something about it,” he said.
However, he argued that a similar level of urgency was lacking in the kidnapping incident that occurred in Oriire Local Government Area, insisting that special forces equipped with drones and helicopters should have been deployed immediately.
“As soon as they announced that they had been kidnapped, special forces with drones and helicopters should have gone after these people,” he said.
Williams maintained that delays in responding to kidnapping incidents embolden criminal groups and reduce the chances of successful rescue operations.
Reiterating his position on state policing, he said the country already possesses the necessary structures but lacks the legal framework and political will to strengthen them.
“We’ve already got state police. What is Amotekun? Tell me, what is Amotekun?” he asked.
He accused political leaders of deliberately delaying action on state police and restructuring, alleging that vested interests continue to obstruct meaningful reforms.
Williams also criticised the Inspector-General of Police, arguing that institutional interests within the police hierarchy have slowed discussions on decentralising policing powers.
“The IGP wants to protect his interests, but we want independent state police. He too wants to have control,” he said.
The retired general warned that insurgent groups are becoming increasingly entrenched in parts of the North-East and expressed concern over the state of regional security cooperation across West Africa.
“The whole security system along the West Coast is in a mess,” he said.
He concluded that Nigeria’s security crisis is rooted in structural confusion, weak accountability mechanisms, inadequate coordination among security agencies, and the absence of constitutional clarity regarding state policing.
