INSECURITY AND THE QUEST FOR STATE POLICE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE RESTRUCTURING DEBATE IN NIGERIA’S FOURTH REPUBLIC

There has been a debate on the modality for management of Nigerian Police Force since return to civil rule in 1999. The revolves around need devolve constitutional authority policing sub-national units. In theory, this will entail moving internal security issues, inclusive policing, from exclusive federal list concurrent list. Given heighten insecurity that plagued state recent times, paper examines restructuring discourse Nigeria with specific focus call establishment police within context subsidiarity principle. study was contextualized exploratory research design paradigm and it adopted qualitative approach sourcing analysis data. To end, drawn information published media reports include: opinion, commentaries, editorials news articles. Data also sourced academic policy publications articles, chapter books, books government documents. Drawing these sources, assesses positions protagonists antagonists Nigeria. It draws out implications governance