The Police Service Commission (PSC) has warned that Nigeria’s persistent insecurity will continue unless government adequately funds police oversight and accountability mechanisms.
Gatekeepers News reports that despite heavy spending on policing, the Secretary to the Commission, Chief Onyemuche Nnamani, said insecurity persists because accountability and institutional oversight have been sidelined in the country’s security governance framework.
Nnamani spoke in Abuja at the public presentation of a book titled Police Service Commission and Police Accountability in Nigeria, authored by a retired Director of the Commission, Anuli Elfreda Okoli.
The event also marked Okoli’s retirement after 30 years of service, her 60th birthday, and her contributions to national discourse on police accountability.
According to Nnamani, sustainable security cannot be achieved through firepower alone, stressing that weak oversight undermines discipline, professionalism and public trust in law enforcement.
“A nation is secured not by the number of weapons it deploys, but by how effectively it controls the use of force,” he said.
He described the PSC as a constitutional body established under Section 153(1) of the 1999 Constitution to oversee police appointments, discipline and accountability, but warned that its mandate has been weakened by poor funding and institutional neglect.
Faulting what he called contradictions in Nigeria’s security priorities, Nnamani noted that while governments approve massive allocations for policing — running into trillions of naira — oversight and reform institutions remain under-resourced.
“One of the hard truths this book confronts is the contradiction in our budgeting priorities. We live in a time of insecurity, and rightly so, the nation responds by approving massive allocations for policing, budgets running into trillions of Naira. Yet, when it comes to funding the institutions responsible for oversight, discipline, and reform, we suddenly become reluctant and uninterested,” he said.
“This should worry us. Because when oversight is weak, discipline breaks down. When discipline breaks down, professionalism suffers. And when professionalism suffers, public trust, with the crucial legitimacy factor that it carries, disappears. Security without accountability may look strong in the short term, but in reality, it is simply instability waiting to return.”
Nnamani said the impact of a weak Police Service Commission is felt daily by Nigerians in their interactions with law enforcement.
“The consequences of a weak Police Service Commission are not theoretical. Nigerians feel it on the streets, in police stations, and in their daily interactions with law enforcement. This book makes one thing clear: accountability in policing cannot be scattered. Police discipline cannot be everybody’s job and nobody’s responsibility,” he added.
He emphasized that the PSC is not a decorative institution but a central pillar of democratic policing, warning that constitutional provisions without operational capacity amount to “little more than moral poetry.”
Chairman of the Commission, DIG Hashimu Salihu Argungu (Rtd.), represented by DIG Taiwo F. Lakanu (Rtd.), praised Okoli for her professionalism and intellectual contributions, describing the book as a valuable resource for policymakers and security sector practitioners.
In her remarks, Okoli said the book was inspired by her years of hands-on involvement in police oversight, disciplinary processes and reform initiatives.
She explained that the publication is intended to serve as a reference for policymakers, scholars, practitioners and citizens interested in police governance and accountability.
The book was reviewed by civil society leader, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, and presented by a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Amal Pepple, while Chief Ben Okoye served as Chief Launcher.
Senator Victor Umeh, who chaired the event, commended Okoli for documenting key institutional experiences in security sector reform.
As part of the retirement ceremony, Okoli received an Award of Service from the Commission in recognition of her meritorious career. A documentary citation detailing her professional journey and achievements was read by a former Director in the Commission, Maurice Archibong.
Beyond her civil service career, Okoli also unveiled the logo of the Beneddette Ezewuzie Legacy Foundation (BEL Foundation), a philanthropic initiative focused on empowerment and social change, signalling the start of a new chapter in her public service.
