Aso Rock Fires Shot: State Governors to Blame for Nigeria’s Worsening Insecurity – Presidency

The Presidency has held state governors accountable for the worsening insecurity and recent surge in violent attacks across Nigeria, particularly in Plateau, Benue, and Enugu States.

According to reports, the presidency criticized the governors for failing to adequately fund security agencies, despite receiving hefty security votes.

Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, made these remarks on Monday during an interview on TVC’s Beyond the Headlines with Nifemi Oguntoye.

Bwala revealed that in some states, governors allocate as little as ₦20 million each to the State Security Service (SSS), the police, and the army monthly—even though they collect security votes ranging from ₦1 billion to ₦3 billion.

“In some states, governors give ₦20 million to the SSS, ₦20 million to the police, and ₦20 million to the army to tackle insecurity. Meanwhile, their security votes are in the range of ₦1 billion to ₦3 billion. Where are we headed?” Bwala asked.

On State Police and Governance Failures

Addressing the growing calls for the creation of state police, Bwala argued that the demand reflects a broader failure of local governance. He noted that state governments already possess the legal backing and financial means to address insecurity but are failing to do so effectively.

He stressed that reducing violence is possible if governors deploy more resources to assist federal security operatives in their respective states.

“Within the current security architecture, insecurity can still be tackled if we truly understand the requirements. Each state already hosts federal security agencies—the SSS, police, military, and paramilitary. Moreover, states are empowered to set up quasi-security outfits with government support,” Bwala said.

He emphasized that with security votes of ₦2 to ₦3 billion, governors should be investing in vital security infrastructure such as drones, patrol vehicles, and surveillance systems.

Bwala expressed concern that while criminal elements are leveraging advanced technologies like drones, governors are failing to prioritize similar investments in their states.

State Police Not a Silver Bullet

While he acknowledged the urgent need for better security strategies, Bwala cautioned against assuming that state police alone would solve the problem. He raised doubts about whether many states, especially those struggling to pay salaries, could afford the financial demands of maintaining an independent police force.