STATE POLICING AND THE DYNAMICS OF NON-STATE SECURITY ACTORS (NSSA) IN NIGERIA: CONTESTATIONS, COLLABORATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR NATIONAL SECURITY

This article interrogates the complex relationship between state policing institutions and non-state security actors (NSSA) in Nigeria. It explores how state bond vigilante groups interact with formal national policing structures in the contexts of insecurity and weak state capacity, raising public distrust of law enforcement and unconstitutional framework. By analysing the tensions, complementarities and governance challenges inherent in these interactions, the paper highlights the implications for accountability, human rights and sustainable national security provision in Nigeria. It recommends constitutional reforms that shape the way for the creation of state police along with the NPF for a balanced national security.