By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Abuja

The National Association of Seadogs (NAS) has called for a decentralised security system in Nigeria, warning that the country’s centralised policing structure is no longer effective in addressing rising insecurity across regions.

The Capoon of NAS, Dr. Joseph Oteri, made the call on Saturday while declaring open the 2026 Feast of Barracuda in Abuja, with the theme “Decentralized Security Architecture: Defining Federal and State Roles in State Policing in Nigeria.”

Oteri argued that policing a nation of over 200 million people from a central authority was increasingly untenable, noting that the current structure was no longer suited to Nigeria’s security realities.

“Centralised policing for a 200-million-strong, geographically diverse nation is no longer tenable,” he said.

“Our 1999 Constitution vested policing exclusively in the Federal Government, but today’s reality is different. Nigerians are dying, communities are under siege, and the system is overstretched,” he added.

He maintained that security threats across the country were increasingly localised, citing banditry in the North-West, insurgency in the North-East, and rising violent crime nationwide.

According to him, granting states more control over policing would improve responsiveness, but must be accompanied by strong accountability mechanisms.

“This does not mean we are handing governors private armies. We must have iron-clad accountability frameworks, civilian oversight, and independent inspectorates,” he said.

Oteri stressed that decentralisation without safeguards would be dangerous, describing accountability as central to any reform.

Also speaking, Capoon of Zuma Deck, Linus Igwe, said Nigeria’s security challenges had become more complex and required a blend of local knowledge and national coordination.

Retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Austin I. Iwar, noted that discussions on state policing had moved from the margins to the centre of national debate, adding that regional security outfits already reflect a gradual shift toward decentralisation.

He, however, cautioned that constitutional reform alone would not solve operational weaknesses in the system.

“Even with expanded powers, if existing responsibilities are not effectively utilised, better outcomes are not guaranteed,” he said.

Iwar proposed a dual policing structure, where the Federal Police handle terrorism, cybercrime, and transnational offences, while state police focus on community-level crimes.

He also warned of potential challenges including political interference, ethnic bias, intelligence fragmentation, jurisdictional disputes, and uneven funding capacity among states.

The event highlighted growing calls for restructuring Nigeria’s security framework, with speakers urging lawmakers to balance decentralisation with strong oversight and coordination mechanisms.