By Usman Aliyu
Legal practitioner and former presidential aide, Mr Kingsley Kuku, says Nigeria’s greatest security challenge is not terrorism, banditry or kidnapping but the gradual erosion of citizens’ trust in the state’s ability to protect them.
Kuku made the assertion on Saturday while delivering a valedictory lecture titled: “The Nigerian State Under Siege: Constitutionalism and the Imperative for National Renewal.”
The lecture was delivered at the valedictory service for the 2026 graduating students of the Oba Erediauwa College of Law, Igbinedion University, Okada.
He argued that the country’s worsening insecurity reflected a deeper constitutional crisis, where many Nigerians had lost confidence in government institutions responsible for safeguarding lives and property.
“Nigeria’s greatest challenge is not terrorism. It is not banditry. It is not kidnapping or separatism in isolation. It is the gradual erosion of the state’s monopoly of legitimate authority,” Kuku said.
According to him, the real danger lies in the widening trust deficit between citizens and government, warning that constitutional democracy becomes fragile when people no longer believe lawful institutions can protect them.
“The Nigerian citizen no longer trusts in the ability of government to protect them. That is the primary duty of government.
“When any government loses that trust, it becomes a constitutional problem, not merely a criminal one,” he added.
The former chairman of the presidential amnesty programme said the increasing reliance on vigilante groups and regional security outfits instead of constitutionally established security agencies underscored the severity of the challenge.
The legal practitioner stressed that while community-based security initiatives had contributed to local safety, their emergence also reflected public perception that existing institutions were not adequately meeting citizens’ security needs.
He maintained that the solution to Nigeria’s security challenges lay in rebuilding public confidence through stronger institutions, accountable governance, an independent judiciary and adherence to the rule of law.
“The challenge before Nigeria is not simply to defeat terrorism, banditry or organised crime. It is to restore public confidence in constitutional governance itself,” he said.
Kuku advocated institutional reforms, including stronger policing, improved judicial independence, professionalism among security agencies and constitutional restructuring through democratic consensus.
He also declared his support for the creation of state police with appropriate federal oversight, arguing that the current centralised policing structure had failed to adequately address the country’s security realities.
Addressing the graduating law students, Kuku urged them to uphold integrity above personal advancement, describing the legal profession as a public trust rather than merely a career.
“Nigeria does not merely need more lawyers. Nigeria needs lawyers of character, courage and integrity whose first loyalty is to justice and the Constitution,” he said.
He warned the new graduates against sacrificing principle for convenience, urging them to defend the rule of law even when doing so was unpopular.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, charged the graduating students to make integrity their guiding principle throughout their legal careers.
“Let integrity be your master science. Every other competence you acquire is subordinate to the level of integrity you possess,” Ezemonye said.
He reminded the graduates that the legal profession is a privilege that demanded diligence, ethical conduct and service to society, while encouraging them to embrace innovation, including digital legal technologies.
The Dean of the Oba Erediauwa College of Law, Prof. Nat Ofo, urged the graduating students to uphold the institution’s core values of “character and learning” as they prepared to enter the legal profession.
“You are the voice of the voiceless. Stand for the truth even when it hurts. Our profession and society are in dire need of people of truth and honesty,” the dean said.
He also commended parents, university management and members of the faculty for their support in producing the graduating class.
Ofo expressed confidence that the graduates had been adequately prepared for the challenges ahead. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
AUO/CHOM
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Edited by Chioma Ugboma