Cybersecurity Professor Hails Progress on State Police, Advocates Technology-Driven Security Framework
By Jerry Adesewo, Abuja
Professor Ojo Emmanuel Ademola, a cybersecurity expert and governance advocate, has welcomed recent progress towards the establishment of State Police in Nigeria, describing it as a landmark step in the country’s security reform efforts.
In a statement, Professor Ademola commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting the initiative and the National Assembly for passing the constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish State Police. He said the development reflects a growing recognition of the need to reform Nigeria’s security architecture to address evolving security challenges.
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The professor, who described himself as a long-time advocate of State Policing, said he had consistently canvassed the decentralisation of policing over the past decade through policy articles, public engagements and commentaries. According to him, Nigeria requires a more intelligence-driven, community-based and technologically enabled policing system capable of responding effectively to modern security threats.
He noted that the country’s existing centralised policing structure has come under increasing pressure due to rising incidents of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, cybercrime, communal violence and organised criminal activities.
Professor Ademola said the proposed dual policing structure, comprising Federal and State Police formations, presents an opportunity to strengthen community intelligence, improve operational response times, enhance local accountability and provide better protection for lives and property.
He, however, stressed that the establishment of State Police should go beyond creating new security institutions. Instead, he called for the development of a technology-enabled policing framework that integrates artificial intelligence, digital forensic capabilities, real-time crime analytics, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), community intelligence platforms, cybersecurity operations, smart surveillance systems, data-driven decision-making and inter-agency information-sharing mechanisms.
According to him, technology should serve as the driving force behind a modern policing system capable of meeting the demands of the digital age.
The professor also advocated a carefully coordinated security model that preserves the strengths of the Federal Police while empowering state-level policing operations, arguing that such an arrangement would improve security effectiveness without undermining national unity.
As the constitutional amendment progresses to the State Houses of Assembly for consideration, he urged policymakers and stakeholders to prioritise professionalism, accountability, adequate funding, training, technological readiness and respect for human rights in implementing the proposed reforms.
Professor Ademola further applauded the President, the leadership of the National Assembly, governors, security sector reform advocates, traditional institutions and civil society organisations for their contributions to the national conversation on policing reforms.
He maintained that Nigeria’s future security lies not only in stronger policing institutions but in smarter, technology-driven policing capable of addressing the complexities of the modern security environment.