Former Kano State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) vice presidential candidate, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has reiterated his strong stance against the establishment of state police, describing the push as a dangerous misstep in addressing national security.

 

Speaking during an appearance on the *Untold Stories* podcast, the former Minister of Defence argued that the growing demand for state police is merely a symptom of the federal government's failure to equip and manage the existing national security architecture effectively.

 

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### "State Police Demand Stems from Federal Failure"

 

According to Kwankwaso, state police is being framed as a quick fix because the federal policing structure has struggled to contain rising security threats across the country.

 

However, he warned that decentralizing policing power under the control of state governors carries severe long-term risks:

 

> *"I have always been against state police, and I can tell you the issue of state police came because of the failure of the federal or national police. I think it’s one of the big mistakes that government is doing,"* Kwankwaso stated.

> *"When there is any failure, nobody wants to take responsibility. It’s only when there is success that everybody—even somebody one thousand kilometers away—will claim it."*

 

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### Proliferation of Arms: A Recipe for Instability

 

The NDC leader expressed deep concern over official and unofficial calls encouraging citizens to take up arms for self-defense, warning that widespread gun ownership would inevitably spark localized violence and societal breakdown.

 

Kwankwaso warned that arming civilians or creating localized armed units without strict national oversight creates an environment where minor conflicts quickly escalate into deadly violence:

 

* **Uncontrolled Weaponry:** Proliferating firearms among the populace destroys the foundation for lasting peace.

* **Escalation of Minor Disputes:** Everyday conflicts between neighbors—or even domestic disagreements—can turn lethal when access to firearms becomes normalized.

 

> *"We can see how things have reversed themselves to the extent that leaders in this country are telling their citizens to go and purchase arms... It has gone that bad,"* he noted.

> *"As long as people have too many arms in their hands, I can tell you there will there hardly be any peace. Even little disputes between neighbors or even husband and wife, one may decide to go and take the arms and use it."*