They Lose Control!” – Ubani Slams Governors Over State Police Power Abuse

Prominent legal practitioner and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Monday Ubani, has emphasized that a well-functioning local government system is the most effective tool for combating insecurity in Nigeria.

Ubani also backed the creation of state police, urging the government to move forward with the long-debated idea. However, he warned that proper legal safeguards must be put in place to prevent abuse by state governors.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, Ubani acknowledged concerns about potential misuse of state police forces, pointing out that some governors may not be mentally stable enough to handle such power responsibly.

“People keep debating the need to restructure our security architecture and implement state policing,” he said. “I agree there’s a risk of abuse—because frankly, some of the governors are not mentally okay when given power. That’s why we must design a legal framework that prevents misuse. If abuse occurs, the federal police must have the power to intervene.”

Ubani stressed that without empowering local governments and bringing security closer to the grassroots, Nigeria would continue to struggle with insecurity.

“You can’t have true security if local governments are weak,” he said. “Proper policing at the grassroots would significantly reduce crime and unrest. But sadly, some powerful individuals are benefiting from the current insecurity, which is why nothing is being done to fix it.”

He added that a constitutional overhaul is long overdue, advocating for a national conference to draft a new constitution rather than relying on endless amendments to the 1999 document.