Post by Henry Emeka (@Emekus)

Respectfully the claim is partly true historically, but the specific statement that “state police was abrogated during the 1972 constitutional amendment” is false.
TRUE: Nigeria once operated regional/state‑controlled police forces
Before 1966, Nigeria had:

Local Government Police

Native Authority Police

Regional Police (in the North, West, and East)

These forces were widely criticized for:

political intimidation

ethnic bias

being used by premiers against opposition

abuse during elections (e.g., the 1964–65 Western Region crisis)

This is why many Nigerians associate state police with the “problems of the 1960s.”

So the general idea that “we operated a similar system before and it caused problems” is historically accurate.

FALSE: It was not abolished in a “1972 constitutional amendment”
This part of the claim is incorrect.

What actually happened:
In 1966, after the first military coup, General Aguiyi‑Ironsi abolished regional police forces and centralized policing under the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

The 1979 Constitution (not 1972) later formalized the NPF as the only police structure.

There was no 1972 constitutional amendment abolishing state police.

Interpretation:
The argument that “state police will drag Nigeria back to the 1960s” is an opinion, not a fact.
It is a common viewpoint among:

retired police chiefs

some security analysts

politicians who fear abuse by governors

But it is not universally accepted.
Other experts argue that:

centralized policing has failed

states need their own forces to fight local crime

federal police are overstretched

So the conclusion is a debate, not a factual claim.

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