The Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has inaugurated a seven-member steering committee tasked with developing a framework for the establishment of state police in Nigeria.
The move comes four days after President Bola Tinubu urged the House of Representatives to amend the 1999 Constitution to accommodate a decentralised policing system.
Tinubu made the call during an interfaith breaking of fast with members of the House of Representatives at the State House, Abuja, stressing that state policing has become essential to addressing Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
The President said a decentralised policing structure would complement the existing federal system and strengthen intelligence-led, community-focused law enforcement.
Inaugurating the committee, Disu addressed misconceptions surrounding the proposal, stressing that state policing should not be interpreted as a replacement for the Nigeria Police Force.
“State policing is a complementary structure within a coordinated national security framework,” he said.
The committee is chaired by the Director General of the National Institute for Police Studies, Prof. Olu Ogunsakin, while CP Bode Ojajuni will serve as Secretary.
Other members include DCP Okebechi Agora, DCP Suleyman Gulma, ACP Ikechukwu Okafor, CSP Tolulope Ipinmisho and retired CP Emmanuel Ojukwu.
Disu charged the committee to design a framework that strengthens, rather than fragments, Nigeria’s security architecture.
According to him, the committee’s mandate includes reviewing existing policing models within and outside Nigeria, assessing community security needs, proposing operational frameworks for state police, and developing accountability mechanisms to maintain professionalism and public trust.
“The task before this committee is both significant and timely. It reflects our collective determination to strengthen Nigeria’s internal security architecture and ensure policing remains responsive to the realities of our communities,” Disu said.
He noted that Nigeria’s security challenges require innovative solutions, stronger collaboration and reform-oriented thinking.
Disu said decentralised policing could improve local intelligence gathering, enhance rapid response to threats and strengthen relationships between law enforcement officers and communities.
He also noted that state police would allow more efficient allocation of resources, with state governments addressing local security concerns while the federal government focuses on complex national crimes such as terrorism, cybercrime and organised criminal networks.
According to the IGP, the proposed system would also contribute to economic and social development by creating employment opportunities while strengthening Nigeria’s overall security capacity.
“This vision is one of synergy, not competition; partnership, not duplication. The Nigeria Police Force will continue to play its constitutional role as the primary national law enforcement institution,” he said.
Disu urged members of the committee to approach their assignment with diligence and patriotism, noting that their recommendations would shape the future of policing in the country.
The initiative marks a significant step toward modernising Nigeria’s policing system and improving its responsiveness to both local and national security challenges.
Linus Aleke in Abuja
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