Nigeria will achieve true security only when local governments are fully empowered to manage their own territories, legal expert Monday Ubani declared yesterday.

Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Electoral Committee strongly backed the decentralisation of the nation`s security architecture. His comments followed the Senate`s historic passage of the contentious State Police Bill, aimed at tackling the country`s worsening security crisis.

"Security is local," Ubani stated, emphasising that grassroots leaders possess indispensable knowledge of their communities` entry and exit points.

He argued that the current over-centralised policing system has failed to protect lives and property. Ubani praised the 10th National Assembly and the current administration for taking decisive steps toward decentralisation, calling state policing the definitive answer to Nigeria`s security challenges.

News Analysis: The Path to Grassroots Policing

The Senate`s passage of the State Police Bill marks a critical shift in Nigeria`s federal structure. For decades, critics have argued that a single, centrally controlled police force in Abuja cannot effectively manage a nation of over 200 million people. Ubani’s argument highlights a structural reality: local officials understand local vulnerabilities. However, the transition faces steep hurdles. Operational success will depend heavily on preventing state governors from weaponising local forces against political opponents and ensuring stable funding at the local government level.