https://ir.nilds.gov.ng//handle/123456789/29 Fri, 11 Sep 2026 02:41:51 GMT 2026-09-11T02:41:51Z https://ir.nilds.gov.ng//handle/123456789/3575 A Constitutional and Policy Analysis of the State Police Bill and Its Implications for Security Governance, Federal Balance, and the 2027 Electoral Cycle Ngara, Chris; Ishaka, Dele; Udefuna, Patrick Nigeria faces a deepening policing paradox: state governors are constitutionally designated Chief Security Officers of their states, yet they command no police officers. The 1999 Constitution vests all policing powers in the Federal Government under Section 215, creating a structural mismatch between accountability and authority that has fueled insecurity, delayed emergency responses, and left over 230 million citizens under-policed. With fewer than 400,000 officers in the Nigeria Police Force, far below the UN-recommended ratio of one officer per 400 citizens, the case for decentralised, state-level policing has reached a national consensus. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reaffirmed his administration's commitment to state police reform as recently as February 23, 2026, while State Houses of Assembly across the country have signalled readiness to fast-track constitutional amendments. Yet the reform carriesa grave risk: in the wrong hands, a state police force becomes a political instrument. This policy brief analyses the constitutional framework, the competing arguments, and the legislative pathway, and provides actionable safeguards for the National Assembly as it considers the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Sixth Alteration) Bill. This brief advises the National Assembly to: 1. Pass the State Police Constitution Alteration Bill with robust, non-negotiable safeguards against political abuse. 2. Establish an Independent State Police Service Commission (ISPSC) insulated from gubernatorial control, budgeted for, under the federation account. 3. Create a Federal Oversight and Standards Bureau to enforce national training, human rights, and operational standards under the Police Service Commission. 4. Ring-fence a dedicated State Security Trust Fund to prevent underfunding of state police by fiscally weak states. 5. Embed a sunset review clause requiring a mandatory National Assembly assessment of state police performance five years after commencement. Sun, 01 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.nilds.gov.ng//handle/123456789/3575 2026-02-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.nilds.gov.ng//handle/123456789/3572 Urgent Need to Address Weak Enforcement and Outdated Provisions in the National Road Traffic Act (NRTA) 2012 Ejalonibu, Ganiyu; Ezenwajiobi, Chidinma Charity; Olaniyan, Taiwo Road safety remains a major public policy challenge in Nigeria despite the existence of traffic regulations and enforcement institutions such as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). Nigeria records thousands of road crashes annually, resulting in significant loss of lives, injuries, and economic costs. Official data shows that over 5,421 people died in 9,570 road accidents in Nigeria in 2024, while thousands more sustained injuries. The persistence of road accidents highlight serious gaps in Nigeria’s road traffic regulatory framework, including weak enforcement, outdated penalty provisions, poor driver discipline, and infrastructural deficiencies. Traffic offences such as reckless driving, speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, and vehicle mechanical defects remain widespread across the country. Although various traffic regulations exist, implemented by agencies such as the FRSC and state traffic authorities—penalties for many offences remain relatively low compared with the economic and social costs of road crashes. For example, some traffic violations attract fines ranging from ₦2,000 to ₦50,000, which may not serve as strong deterrents against reckless behaviour. Addressing the weaknesses in Nigeria’s road traffic regulatory framework, and ensuring strict compliance, the analysis proposes the following recommendations: ✓ The National Assembly through its Senate and House Committees on Federal Road Safety Commission, may wish to initiate amendment of the Regulation 220 (offenses and penalties) of the NRTR 2012. Review and Increase Traffic Penalties. Traffic fines should reflect current economic realities as higher fines would increase deterrence against reckless driving. ✓ The Senate and House Committees on Federal Road Safety Commission, through its oversight function may wish to advise the Federal Government through the FRSC, on the need to deploy smart traffic monitoring systems. Use technology such as: speed cameras, traffic sensors, and automated enforcement. ✓ Improve collaboration among FRSC, Police and state traffic agencies. Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.nilds.gov.ng//handle/123456789/3572 2026-03-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.nilds.gov.ng//handle/123456789/3568 Tackling Substance Abuse among Nigerian Youth: Issues for Legislative Intervention Yerima, Hassan; Amana, Naphtali; Samson, Oche Okoh Nigeria, Africa's most resource-rich nation, boasts abundant human and natural assets. Its youth represent one of its greatest strengths, yet substance abuse has surged into a profound public health, social, and economic crisis. This menace affects millions, undermining youth productivity, national security, and economic growth. NDLEA and UNODC data reveal that 14–15 million Nigerians aged 15–64 years use psychoactive substances, with cannabis, opioids, and codeine-based cough syrups most prevalent. Despite government initiatives in enforcement, rehabilitation, and awareness campaigns, substance abuse among youth persists alarmingly, demanding urgent legislative action. In view of this, the following recommendations are proposed: ➢ Establishment of a National Digital Drug Surveillance Framework empowering NDLEA to monitor online drug markets using AI, collaborate with telecom and financial institutions, and implement real-time early-warning systems and strengthen preventive capabilities while embedding data-protection and judicial oversight safeguards. ➢ National Assembly may consider enacting laws that mandate nationwide integration of proven curricula, such as Life Skills Training, into secondary and tertiary institutions, including compulsory drug education and integrity testing to expand the Ministry of Education's 2025 policy for uniform implementation. ➢ Legislators may wish to enact legislation establishing formal collaborations among NDLEA, Ministries of Education, Health, Youth, and police to form joint task forces, for seamless prevention and response coordination on drug abuse. Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.nilds.gov.ng//handle/123456789/3568 2026-03-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.nilds.gov.ng//handle/123456789/3567 Tackling Escalating Food Insecurity in Nigeria: The Urgent Need for Legislative Intervention Hassan, Yerima; Udefuna, Patrick N.; Nandi, Livinus A. Nigeria, often regarded as the giant of Africa, faces persistent food insecurity deepened by climate variability, ongoing insecurity, and heavy reliance on rain-fed agriculture. The country is ranked 110th out of 127 countries in the 2024 Global Hunger Index, projected to have over 35 million people experiencing acute food insecurity in 2026 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Out-of season farming offers a vital opportunity to mitigate this crisis by enabling year-round food production. However, its widespread adoption is hindered by limited access to irrigation facilities, agricultural inputs, and technical expertise. Additionally, climate-related shocks such as floods, persistent conflicts, inadequate infrastructure, and poor availability of essential resources further aggravate the acute food production and restrict the potential of out-of-season farming. In view of this, the following recommendations are proposed: ➢ The National Assembly (NASS) may wish to increase allocations for agricultural development, nutrition initiatives, and social protection schemes in the national budget. This bolsters critical frameworks such as the National Multi-Sectoral Plan for Food and Nutrition (NMPFAN), which requires over ₦262 billion to achieve its objectives. ➢ Legislators may wish to enact legislation that provide legal protections for farmers confronting insurgencies, ethnic disputes, and soaring input expenses, especially in precarious areas such as Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY) states. Strategies may encompass farmland defense, funding and scrutiny of agricultural initiative shortfalls. ➢ Lawmakers may wish to amend agricultural laws to heighten output, aid smallholder farmers, and advance climate-resilient methods despite insecurity and environmental shifts. This entails promoting tech integration through frameworks like the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP) 2022–2027. ➢ NASS should mandate the creation of systematic data collection and monitoring frameworks to track progress regarding farming activities, outputs, and challenges, supporting evidence-based policymaking and targeted interventions. Sun, 01 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.nilds.gov.ng//handle/123456789/3567 2026-02-01T00:00:00Z