Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has strongly advocated for absolute financial autonomy and aggressive investments in modern technology for the proposed state police services, warning that decentralizing law enforcement without proper funding frameworks could jeopardize national security.
Governor Mbah made this position known on Thursday, July 9, 2026, during a high-profile national town hall meeting themed “Building a National Consensus for State Police and National Security,” organized by Arise News in Abuja.
Addressing a panel of policymakers, security experts, and regional leaders, Mbah stressed that any upcoming constitutional amendment must prioritize a sustainable funding template. He proposed that state police commands should operate on a “first-line charge” system to guarantee their operational independence from political interference.
”The importance of funding the state police system effectively cannot be overemphasized,” Mbah stated. “Having a State Police Service Commission that has a first-line charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund is in order. Many other institutions in the states—the judiciary and the legislature—already have this. The key thing is providing enough funding to be able to sustain the system.”
Drawing from his governance experience in Enugu State, Governor Mbah explained that modern security is a capital-intensive venture that relies heavily on digital infrastructure rather than just human personnel. He revealed that since taking office in 2023, his administration has successfully reduced violent crime in Enugu State by over 90% through massive investments in advanced technology.
”Matter of security is measured in minutes,” Mbah noted. “You must build the capability to first nip crime in the bud, but where there has been a breach, you must have the capacity to act swiftly. The states are already carrying a huge burden in terms of funding because we are investing heavily in these technologies.”
Looking ahead at the legislative process, Governor Mbah urged the National Assembly to avoid making the constitutional amendment regarding state policing overly complex or verbose. Instead, he recommended a flexible framework that allows the system to evolve organically.
He suggested that the Constitution should simply grant states the powers to establish police services, leaving the specific regulatory and operational details to an Act of the National Assembly, which can be easily amended as the country tests the new security arrangement.
Dismissing concerns that subnational leaders might weaponize local law enforcement, Mbah emphasized that the focus should remain on giving governors the tools to protect their citizens.
”Nobody is a governor forever,” Mbah concluded. “We are also going to one day leave that office and become regular citizens. We just want to be sure that there is enough operational authority given to the governors so that you do not give someone a performance target without providing the control needed to achieve the required outcome.”
