Enough Is Enough! Gov Mutfwang Reignites Fiery Call For State-Controlled Policing

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has once again advocated for the creation of state police, emphasizing its urgent necessity in curbing Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.

Speaking at the North-Central Public Hearing on the amendment of the 1999 Constitution held in Jos on Friday, Governor Mutfwang described state policing as “the elephant in the room”—a critical issue everyone acknowledges but few are willing to confront.

He noted that Nigeria’s security landscape has deteriorated significantly, with violence and attacks now rampant across all geopolitical zones. While insurgency and terrorism dominate the Northeast and North Central, secessionist unrest plagues the Southeast, and criminal gang activities are prevalent in the South West and South South.

Mutfwang highlighted the rise in extrajudicial killings, ritual murders, and communal violence—many driven by long-standing ethnic tensions, climate change, and scarce resources. He particularly decried the persistent attacks on farmers by armed Fulani herders, which have spread from the North Central to nearly every region of the country. These attacks, he said, have resulted in mass displacements, with many farming communities completely overtaken and renamed by herders.

He warned that Nigeria faces a growing humanitarian crisis, as displaced populations suffer in IDP camps and become vulnerable to further violence—either as victims or potential recruits for armed groups. The Nigerian state’s inability to contain the activities of non-state armed actors, he argued, is eroding public trust and exposing its failure to uphold the social contract.

Governor Mutfwang stressed that while various governments have attempted to address insecurity through peace deals, regional security outfits, and military strategies, the results have been largely ineffective. He described the call for state police not only as necessary but long overdue.

“This is no longer a debate; it is a demand for survival. The delay in implementing state policing risks painting Nigeria as a nation criminally negligent in protecting its people,” he stated.

He urged the Constitutional Review Committee to seriously consider this recommendation, warning that failure to act could deepen national instability.

Governor Mutfwang also expressed support for broader constitutional reforms, including devolution of powers to enable states to manage their resources and development priorities more effectively.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the Review Committee, Senator Jibrin Barau, represented by Deputy Senate Majority Leader Oyelola Ashiru, acknowledged public concerns. He noted that the National Assembly has previously passed five sets of constitutional amendments but agreed that many pressing national issues remain unresolved.

He emphasized the need for both legal reforms and a collective shift in attitude to truly uphold the spirit of the constitution and deliver the change Nigerians demand.