Decentralisation of security system as key to de-escalation of crimes and criminality in Nigeria

Nigeria’s security system has been centralized across different and successive governments and administrations, military and democratic regimes. However, there has been advocacy from various angles; a call to migrate to decentralized security system. The paper explored the need for this call to decentralization as a sure way of combating criminal activities. It adopted a mix of conceptual review and thematic analysis as its methodology. For its theoretical framework, the paper adopted the Social Disorganization Theory. The theory is applicable to this study, as it explores the role that individual communities play in dealing with crimes in their own peculiar ways. The paper relied on the works of other researchers, viewing and analysing their perspectives on the subject matter. It was discovered that criminal activities thrive simply because of the complex structure of the security system of the nation. The paper concludes that decentralization of the security system is very necessary if crime must be tackled from the grassroots. It is recommended that the federal system should begin the process of devolution of power, in the case of security system, and thus empower each state governor to tackle crimes that are peculiar to them.