Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Public policy analyst and former Delta State Commissioner for Information, Magnus Onyibe, has cautioned that the proposed state police reform will not succeed unless traditional rulers are formally integrated into the new security architecture as grassroots intelligence anchors. Speaking on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, during an appearance on NTA's "Good Morning Nigeria" programme, Onyibe argued that sustainable security reform cannot succeed without leveraging the local knowledge and community networks of monarchs and traditional institutions. He maintained that the current centralised policing structure, established after the 1966 Unification Decree, had weakened local intelligence systems that previously relied on native authorities, and that returning to state policing without reversing that erosion would be ineffective.
Onyibe, who is also the author of the recently published book, The Imperative of State Police in Nigeria, stressed that traditional rulers are currently exposed and vulnerable due to the absence of structured protection and formal roles within the security framework. "The truth is that returning to state policing will not be effective without traditional rulers. They worked pari passu. The traditional rulers were the ones at the grassroots level that were bringing the intelligence that the police used to be able to administer the system," Onyibe said. He warned that many monarchs have become reluctant to share information with security agencies because they lack protection, noting that "if they shared information about what was going on in their community with DSS or police, they face the risk of being abducted, beheaded, or being dealt with one way or the other".
According to the policy analyst, restoring the relevance of traditional rulers in the security architecture would enhance intelligence gathering and improve early warning systems. He proposed that monarchs should be given a defined role focused on intelligence coordination within their communities, rather than returning to their pre-1966 administrative and taxation functions. "I'm not saying they should go back to what they used to do pre-1966, but I'm saying that a role has to be given to them. Because right now, a lot of them want to abdicate because of the risk that they face. And they are facing this risk because they don't have protection," he explained. He likened the proposed role of traditional rulers to that of local sheriffs in the United States, who function as first responders with strong local intelligence networks.
Acknowledging concerns about the democratic legitimacy of monarchs, Onyibe noted that while traditional rulers are not elected, their influence remains rooted in consensus and community acceptance. "Yes, it's totally right that monarchs are not democratically elected people. So it's not in harmony with democracy that people have to be elected. But we have to find a way to graft these things because their role is very critical," he said. He argued that despite imperfections within traditional institutions, they remain essential to grassroots governance and intelligence, adding that "they can be stripped of the role they played previously, collecting tax and having things to do with government. But right now, you just let them become people who gather intelligence".
Onyibe's intervention comes at a pivotal moment in Nigeria's security reform debate. The House of Representatives passed the constitutional amendment required to accommodate a state and local policing system on June 11, 2026, and the Senate has also passed the bill through a second reading. The reform is awaiting final reading and conclusion of the amendment process at the national level before two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly follow suit. However, Onyibe cautioned that the proposed return to state and local policing, while a game-changer, is not a silver bullet that will magically eliminate the reign of terror. He argued that a second and equally important piece of the puzzle is the reinstatement of traditional institutions, which played a critical role in governance during the pre-independence era and in the early years following independence from 1960 to 1966.
The policy analyst's remarks on NTA align with his long-standing advocacy for the integration of traditional rulers into Nigeria's security framework. In a previous interview on ARISE NEWS, he had argued that state policing alone would not solve Nigeria's security challenges unless traditional rulers are formally incorporated into the system as key intelligence intermediaries. His book, which comprises 19 articles written between 2002 and 2026, examines the evolution of insecurity in Nigeria and presents arguments in support of state and local policing as a strategic response to the nation's worsening security challenges. The publication has been described as a valuable resource for legislators, security professionals, and members of the public seeking to understand the roots of Nigeria's security challenges and possible institutional reforms needed to address them.
As the debate over state policing continues to gather momentum, Onyibe's call for the integration of traditional rulers has added a critical dimension to the conversation. His argument that sustainable security reform cannot succeed without grassroots intelligence networks anchored by monarchs and local institutions has resonated with many who believe that Nigeria's traditional rulers remain an untapped resource in the fight against insecurity. The question now is whether lawmakers and policymakers will heed his advice and ensure that traditional rulers are given a formal, protected role in the new policing order.
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