Nigeria’s battle against insecurity may require more than military operations and security interventions. According to public affairs commentator Aishatu Kabu, genuine local government autonomy could be one of the country’s strongest tools in addressing banditry, poverty, and governance failures at the grassroots.
In her latest article, Kabu argued that while policies such as the cashless system could weaken the financial networks supporting criminal activities, insecurity remains a complex challenge that requires multiple solutions, including strengthening the third tier of government.
She noted that local governments, which were constitutionally created to bring governance closer to the people, have over the years become weakened by excessive state government control.
“Local government in Nigeria is practically non-existent today. A tier constitutionally designed to be autonomous has been reduced to an appendage of state governors,” she stated.
Kabu questioned whether local governments can effectively address community challenges when they lack the independence to manage their resources and implement projects without approval from state authorities.
She compared the current situation with the early years of the Fourth Republic, arguing that local representatives previously had greater capacity to respond to basic community needs such as fixing roads, providing water facilities, and improving local infrastructure.
The writer referenced the Supreme Court judgment in Attorney General of the Federation v. Attorney General of Abia State and 35 Others, delivered on July 11, 2024, which affirmed that the 774 local governments should receive their allocations directly from the Federation Account.
However, she argued that despite the landmark ruling, many local governments still operate under significant political influence from state governments.
“Court judgments are not enough. If we want to have lasting peace in Nigeria, autonomy must be institutionalized,” she said.
Kabu identified local government elections conducted by State Independent Electoral Commissions as one of the major barriers to genuine autonomy, arguing that the system often makes local government chairmen more accountable to governors than to residents.
She suggested the creation of a “Nigeria Participatory Democracy Fund” that would support civil society organisations in training citizens to monitor local government projects and spending.
According to her, empowering about 100 citizen monitors in each local government area would create a nationwide accountability network capable of tracking public resources and improving transparency.
She also highlighted that local governments received significant financial allocations in recent years but many communities still struggle with poor infrastructure, unemployment, poverty, and insecurity.
Kabu argued that insecurity thrives where government presence is weak, adding that autonomous local governments would be better positioned to address local challenges through community-focused solutions.
“Banditry is a local problem with a local solution, just like terrorism cannot be defeated from Abuja while it operates in forests,” she stated.
She maintained that empowered local governments could support community security initiatives, improve rural infrastructure, create employment opportunities, and provide essential services more effectively because they understand their communities better.
According to Kabu, local government autonomy should not only be viewed as a constitutional matter but as a development necessity for Nigeria’s democracy and security.
She concluded that without strengthening grassroots governance, many national policies may continue to address only the symptoms of insecurity rather than tackling the underlying governance challenges affecting communities.
