Some leaders in South-West, Tuesday, raised concerns over what they described as subversion of democracy in the country, saying any such move will be resisted in the region.
The leaders also warned that insecurity and governance challenges could affect national stability ahead of the 2027 general elections, saying a better security system should be implemented.
They demanded the establishment of state policing and stronger regional collaboration to address insecurity, saying it has become necessary with rising insecurity across the country.
They spoke at a one day summit on Good Governance and the Crisis of Nationhood held in Lagos.
Speaking at the event, leader of the Yoruba Assembly, Olawale Oshun, said Nigeria’s democratic system was facing challenges, including insecurity and economic hardship.
According to him, the military would never rule in Yorubaland again despite the current situation.
He said: “We admit the challenges of democracy. Today, there are problems of insecurity, hunger, deprivation and economic downturn. Any attempt to overthrow the current democratic experience will have terrible consequences for Nigeria. For us in Yorubaland, we shall exit the country instead of having military rule.”
On security reforms, Oshun said Nigeria’s centralised policing system was inadequate to address current security threats and called for urgent implementation of state policing.
“Nigeria is in a dire security situation that demands a bold and decisive step,” he said.
Osun further stated that effective policing requires personnel with knowledge of local environments, noting the need for officers with “proper geographical knowledge of the community that they are supposed to serve.”
Also speaking at the event, Environmental microbiologist and activist, Oluwafemi Obayori, said the concept of state policing was often misinterpreted as a simple extension of the federal police under state control.
He said: “The creation of state police is being treated as if you want to have a branch of Nigerian police under the governor.”
Obayori said effective policing should be based on decentralisation and local familiarity, adding that recruitment should reflect people who understand their communities and terrain, including in urban centres such as Lagos.
Obayori, who acknowledged concerns about political misuse of state policing structures, said such fears should not halt reforms aimed at addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.
He argued that the country’s current economic structure must first be strengthened to support effective governance.
He said: “We must return Nigeria to being a productive sector in farming, in production,” noting that weak infrastructure, particularly electricity supply, has already constrained economic activity and employment.
Obayori maintained that Nigeria’s centralised system has limited the capacity of subnational governments to respond effectively to local needs, insisting that institutional safeguards, rather than outright rejection, should guide the design of state policing.
Meanwhile, Sociologist and former National Electoral Commissioner, Lai Olorode, said democracy requires continuous civic participation.
He added that policing reforms should reflect regional realities, saying: “You cannot have a state police that will work for all the regions in the country.”
He said reforms must focus on building systems that ensure accountability while improving efficiency and local responsiveness in security management across the country.