Femi Falana Warns State Police Alone Cannot End Insecurity in Nigeria, Urges Government to Tackle Unemployment

Femi Falana Warns State Police Alone Cannot End Insecurity in Nigeria, Urges Government to Tackle Unemployment

 Human rights lawyer Femi Falana says state police will not solve Nigeria's insecurity unless unemployment, poverty, and social welfare challenges are addressed. Read the full story.

Femi Falana Says State Police Will Fail Without Massive Job Creation in Nigeria

Prominent human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has warned that establishing state police alone will not end Nigeria's worsening insecurity unless the government tackles the root causes, particularly unemployment and poverty.

Falana made the remarks on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television's Politics Today, where he reacted to the Nigerian Senate's recent passage of the controversial State Police Bill.

According to him, while expanding policing may improve security operations, it cannot replace the urgent need for economic reforms that provide opportunities for millions of unemployed Nigerians.

«"I don't think we should criminalize politicians, and I don't want to engage in any conspiracy theory," Falana stated.»

He explained that discussions on state policing have existed for years as part of broader calls for restructuring Nigeria's security architecture.

However, Falana questioned whether simply creating more police formations would solve the country's deep-rooted security challenges.

Unemployment Remains Nigeria's Biggest Security Threat

The senior lawyer stressed that government policies should prioritize creating jobs and strengthening social welfare alongside any security reforms.

He asked:

- How do we build more police stations without addressing widespread unemployment?

- Why are young Nigerians not being provided with meaningful employment opportunities?

- Why is there insufficient support for vulnerable and extremely poor citizens?

Falana argued that many of the country's security challenges are driven by economic hardship, making job creation a critical part of any lasting solution.

State Police Not Enough to End Insecurity

According to Falana, insecurity cannot be solved through policing alone.

He maintained that unless Nigeria adopts a holistic strategy that combines security reforms with economic development, poverty reduction, and social protection, insecurity will continue regardless of whether state or local government police are established.

«"Unless you address this problem holistically, creating a state police or local government police will not address the crisis of insecurity in the country," he said.»

Senate Passes State Police Bill

The Nigerian Senate recently approved the State Police Bill as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen internal security and enable states to play a greater role in policing.

Supporters believe decentralizing the police will improve response times and help combat rising insecurity, while critics continue to express concerns over funding, political interference, and possible abuse of power.

Falana's comments add to the growing national debate over whether state police can truly solve Nigeria's security crisis without addressing the country's underlying economic and social problems.

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