The NDSRC is an alliance of civil society organizations, security experts, and policy advocates committed to transparent, accountable, and democratically aligned security sector reforms in Nigeria.
In a statement, the coalition acknowledged the urgent need to tackle the country’s worsening security challenges but cautioned against a rushed approach. According to the group, decentralizing policing without a comprehensive framework risks turning state police forces into tools for political intimidation, suppression of dissent, and settling local scores.
“Security reform must not be a knee-jerk reaction to crisis, but a deliberate, democratic evolution,” the NDSRC stated. “To proceed without ironclad safeguards is to invite a scenario where the instrument of protection becomes an instrument of oppression.”
The coalition outlined several urgent demands to guide the process, which included a mandatory nationwide public hearings involving citizens, civil society, and legal experts to ensure the reform reflects popular consent.
It also demanded unambiguous constitutional amendments to define the roles and jurisdictions of federal and state police forces, preventing operational conflicts and legal disputes.
It also called for legislation that must establish independent oversight boards empowered to investigate and discipline police misconduct, making forces accountable to the public rather than solely to state governors.
It seeks robust mechanisms for funding transparency, professional standards, and democratic accountability to be put in place to avoid the creation of “private armies” disguised as state police.
The group emphasized that while it supports a more secure Nigeria, public safety must not come at the expense of fundamental human rights and democratic principles. It urged the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly to prioritize long-term national stability over political expediency.