An APC chieftain Obafemi George has said, the Security of Nigerians is not the responsibility of President Bola Tinubu to handle as the country shifts toward deeper structural reforms to fix long standing challenges in the system.
Speaking during a national television interview, Obafemi George explained that the current administration led by Tinubu is confronting Nigeria’s biggest problem with a fresh approach that past leaders attempted but failed to resolve.
He said many citizens often assume the president alone must handle all security issues, citing Section 14 subsection 2 paragraph b of the constitution which states that the security and welfare of the people is the responsibility of government. George clarified that the wording does not specify only the federal government, stressing that responsibility is spread across different levels of leadership.
According to him, the president in his role as commander in chief is primarily responsible for protecting Nigeria’s borders and defending the country against external threats. He explained that the Nigerian military is structured mainly for warfare against foreign enemies, not internal conflicts such as insurgency and groups like Boko Haram. He added that internal security is mainly the responsibility of the police system, with the inspector general of police based in Abuja holding the central command authority.
George also pointed out that governors are described as chief security officers in their states, but they do not have direct control over police commissioners, who report only to the inspector general. He said this creates a structural contradiction where governors are expected to maintain peace but lack the operational authority and tools to do so effectively.
He noted that for the first time, the president, state governors, and the senate have reached a consensus on the introduction of state police as a major reform that could transform security management in the country.
To illustrate the depth of Nigeria’s security crisis, George referenced past violent incidents in Plateau State, saying they show how long the country has struggled with internal unrest. He recalled that in 2001 a leadership appointment crisis involving a non indigene as chairman of NAPEP triggered violence in Jos that left about 750 people dead. He added that in 2004 another wave of violence killed around 1000 people, while in 2014 renewed clashes also claimed about 1000 lives. He further stated that in 2008 another outbreak of violence resulted in more than 1000 deaths, leading to the declaration of a state of emergency in the area.
George questioned the actual capacity of governors during such crises, noting that even when emergency rule is declared in places like Borno State, leaders such as Governor Babagana Zulum are often left struggling with limited authority. He said state governments are forced to improvise by buying patrol vehicles and setting up camps for displaced persons while lacking full constitutional control over security forces.
He added that governors currently face a system that assigns responsibility without granting adequate power. He revealed that the governors forum has submitted a 75 page proposal to the national assembly detailing a framework for implementing state police across the country.
George credited the president for supporting what he described as a bold and unprecedented step toward reform. He emphasized that Nigeria’s security challenges are not caused by lack of effort from leaders but by a fundamental constitutional weakness in the system.
He also reviewed details from the proposal, noting that the inspector general of police outlined a three year rollout plan for the new structure. The plan proposes that 30 percent of federation account allocations should be directed to state police operations, while also requiring state governments to dedicate 15 percent of their annual budgets to security to sustain the system.
George concluded that the proposed reforms represent a major turning point that would finally allow leaders to properly execute the responsibilities already assigned to them.
