Aiyedatiwa Links Akeredolu Legacy to Ongoing State Policing Debate
Lucky Aiyedatiwa says Rotimi Akeredolu's security reform advocacy remains relevant as Nigeria considers state-controlled police forces.
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has used a memorial event for his predecessor, Rotimi Akeredolu, to renew attention on Nigeria's continuing discussion over the creation of police forces controlled by individual states.
Aiyedatiwa spoke at a colloquium in Ibadan marking what would have been Akeredolu's 70th birthday. He said the former governor devoted significant attention to security reform and decentralisation while in office, including support for stronger roles for states in protecting residents and responding to local threats.
One of the developments associated with that period was the establishment of the South-West Security Network, commonly called Amotekun. Aiyedatiwa cited the regional security outfit when discussing the importance of local knowledge in security operations. He also referred to recent operations involving Amotekun personnel and other security agencies in forest areas of Ondo State as examples of cooperation at the local level.
The governor said he expects the national conversation on state policing to eventually produce a new structure. He also stressed that creating state-controlled police agencies would require clear safeguards. Among the issues he identified were recruitment standards, proper background checks, professional conduct, accountability mechanisms and measures capable of maintaining public confidence.
Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun also addressed the gathering. Speaking as chairman of the Nigeria Governors' Forum committee dealing with state police, he said Nigeria would need 554,353 additional police personnel to address the gap between current capacity and the police-to-population benchmark referenced during the discussion. He argued that institutional reforms would be necessary for any new policing arrangement to function effectively.
Other public figures who participated included former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji. Participants reflected on Akeredolu's involvement in debates concerning security, federalism, regional cooperation and governance.
The event placed Akeredolu's record within a wider policy question that remains unresolved nationally: whether policing powers should remain concentrated at federal level or be shared through formally established state forces. Aiyedatiwa's remarks focused on preserving the former governor's security reform agenda while ensuring that any future system includes standards designed to prevent abuse and strengthen accountability.