A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and policy analyst, Dr. Monday Ubani, has issued a warning that Nigeria’s persistent and growing insecurity will remain unresolved unless the federal government directly addresses what he describes as the most neglected pillar of national security – a functional and fully empowered local government system.
Dr. Ubani noted that despite decades of substantial investment in military operations, counter-terrorism campaigns, mass security recruitment and advanced surveillance technologies, the nation continues to reel from rising kidnappings, banditry and violent communal attacks.
This failure, he insisted, is because the level of government constitutionally positioned to act as first responder remains politically weakened and financially paralyzed.
Reacting to the country’s latest security crisis, the policy analyst noted that the Federal Government’s recent National Insecurity Emergency, unveiled by President Bola Tinubu, unfortunately omits the most crucial structural reform: the restoration of the capacity and autonomy of local governments.
He acknowledged that the current security package includes positive measures such as recruiting more personnel and withdrawing police protection from VIPs, but said these measures cannot succeed without improving grassroots governance.
Ubani argued that security threats do not originate in the Federal Capital Territory or state capitals, but rather arise first in communities, rural settlements and abandoned neighbourhoods.
According to the SAN, “As these vulnerable areas fall directly under the jurisdiction of local government, councils are inherently designed to detect early threats, effectively mobilize community responses and support primary policing efforts. However, they have been systematically stripped of the ability to perform these functions.
“Institutional manipulation of the system, particularly through the Joint State Local Government Account and other political controls, has allowed state governments to seize municipal funds, impose loyal supporters and effectively undermine independent administration.
“This has resulted in many local councils functioning simply as extensions of state executives rather than strong, frontline governance institutions.”
Ubani warned that a local government unable to maintain rural roads for security patrols, provide street lighting, support local policing structures, empower traditional authorities or fund local policing tools is a council that is rendered completely ineffective in protecting its population.
This administrative vacuum, he added, is precisely what has created ungoverned spaces where bandits and kidnappers thrive and operate with impunity.
“No matter how many security personnel are recruited or how advanced our surveillance equipment is, no national strategy can succeed when communities remain abandoned and disconnected from governance,” he stated emphatically.
Ubani described full constitutional and financial autonomy of local governments as the most urgent and fundamental reform needed to curb insecurity at its roots.
While commending the earlier attempt by the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to seek clarity from the Supreme Court on the issue, he regretted that such political interference thwarted the initiative.
Dr Ubani called on President Tinubu to act decisively, concluding that direct funding and unrestricted autonomy of local councils must now be considered a definite national priority.
“The path to a safer Nigeria begins with strengthening the level of government closest to the people. A non-functional local government administration creates insecurity. The sooner we face this truth, the sooner Nigeria can make real progress,” he said.
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