Stafolga Chairman Femi Sanni "Araba" Urges Subnational Reform and State Policing Following Maiduguri Attacks

Femi Sanni (Araba) calls for state police and subnational reforms following Maiduguri bombings during the Nigeria-UK Business Forum in London.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 18, 2026, 12:17 PM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Independent

A Call for Reform from the London Business Forum

Femi Sanni, the Chairman of Stafolga Group and FlowFM 92.7, has leveraged his platform at the Nigeria–UK Business Forum to advocate for a fundamental restructuring of Nigerian governance. Attending the forum at Marlborough House as part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to the United Kingdom, Sanni issued a statement emphasizing that Nigeria’s current centralized system is ill-equipped to handle modern security threats. He argued that the deepening of trade and economic cooperation discussed in London cannot yield dividends unless the subnational institutions back home are fortified to protect investments and lives.

Maiduguri Bombings as a Catalyst for Change

The recent wave of tragic bombings in Maiduguri served as the focal point for Sanni’s critique. Expressing his condolences to the victims, he noted that these incidents are a grim reminder of the "slow and over-centralized" nature of Nigeria’s security response. Sanni asserted that security must be managed where the people live—at the state and local levels—rather than being directed solely from Abuja. By highlighting the vulnerability of Borno State, he underscored the necessity of a more responsive, localized governance structure that can act swiftly in the face of terror.

Empowering States and Local Governments

A central theme of Sanni's address was the belief that "Nigeria cannot develop from Abuja alone." He called for a deliberate shift in power, suggesting that the "real work" of both economic development and national security belongs to the subnational entities. Sanni doubled down on his support for state policing and greater state autonomy, arguing that local authorities are better positioned to understand and mitigate the specific challenges of their regions. This empowerment, he suggests, is the only way to move beyond "business as usual" and achieve a meaningful transformation in the Nigerian interior.