Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has raised a critical warning regarding the ongoing national push for decentralized law enforcement, cautioning that state governors could easily weaponize localized police forces to suppress opposition and target political rivals.

Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, the federal lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District emphasized that while the security realities of the country require innovative solutions, establishing state police without rigid checks and balances poses a significant danger to democracy.

She argued that given the historical and current tendencies of some state executives to dominate local institutions and intimidate dissenting voices, giving them direct control over armed security apparatuses could lead to widespread tyranny at the sub-national level.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan stressed that her position is not a total rejection of the decentralized security model, but rather a demand for caution and structural accountability. She called on the National Assembly to ensure that any constitutional amendment legalizing state police must be accompanied by stringent federal safeguards, independent oversight boards, and clear legal frameworks that completely insulate local police commands from the political control and personal whims of sitting governors.

The lawmaker’s warning injects fresh debate into the ongoing legislative deliberations, highlighting the delicate balance federal lawmakers must strike between improving grassroots security and preventing the rise of state-sponsored political repression.