Public affairs analyst Mahmud Jega has said that the establishment of state police will not provide an immediate solution to Nigeria’s ongoing security challenges.

Jega made this known on Friday during an interview on Prime Time on Arise Television, where he responded to questions about the country’s worsening security situation.

According to him, even if state police were introduced, it would take considerable time before the new system could significantly impact the fight against insecurity.

He argued that the military, which is better equipped and trained than the police, has also struggled to effectively control the situation, indicating that state police alone cannot provide a quick fix.

“I don’t think state police is an instant solution,” Jega said. “Given how the situation has evolved, even if we establish state police now, it will take a long time before they can make a meaningful impact in addressing criminal activities.”

He added that, in the long term, state policing could still be beneficial because it would encourage stronger community involvement, greater familiarity with local environments, and a more decentralized security response system.

However, Jega expressed particular concern over the recent surge in attacks in Borno State, which he said raises serious questions about the country’s intelligence system.

He noted that for Boko Haram insurgents to mobilize large numbers of fighters and launch coordinated attacks on three military Forward Operating Bases—overrunning them and killing their commanding officers—suggests a significant intelligence failure.