The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has inaugurated an eight-member Committee for the implementation of state police.
Inaugurating the Committee on Wednesday in Abuja, Mr Disu said the committee had one month to submit its report.
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He said the task before the committee was both significant and timely, as it spoke directly to the reflective demand to strengthen Nigeria’s internal security.
He also said that the idea was to ensure that policing in Nigeria remained responsive to the realities on the ground.
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“Across the nation, we continue to confront evolving security challenges. These require innovative thinking, strategic collaboration, and the willingness to explore reforms.
“This committee on state policing we are inaugurating today has a critical responsibility.
“Your work will help shape the framework through which state policing may operate in Nigeria in a manner that strengthens, rather than fragment national security system,” he said.
According to the IGP, “In carrying out this assignment, your deliberations must be guided by professionalism, objectivity and a clear appreciation of the unique complexity of policing in a diverse nation like Nigeria.”
He added that the responsibility before the committee was to review existing police models within and outside Nigeria and assess community security needs and emerging risks.
Mr Disu further said that the committee would also propose an operational framework for the establishment and coordination of state police structures, as well as proffer ways to address issues relating to recruitment, training standards and resource allocation.
He said the committee would develop robust accountability and oversight mechanisms to ensure professionalism and public trust.
“If thoughtfully designed and effectively implemented, state policing holds significant potential benefits for our country.
“By bringing law enforcement closer to the communities, state police institutions can deepen the knowledge of security dynamics and enable quicker and more targeted response to emerging threats,” he said.
The police boss said that the decentralisation of certain policing responsibilities would ensure more efficient allocation of security resources.
He said state governments and local authorities would be better positioned to respond to specific security challenges within their jurisdictions, while the federal government would continue to focus on broader national security priorities.
The IGP said the Nigerian Police Force would continue to play its constitutional role as a primary national law enforcement institution, responsible for maintaining internal security efficiently.
He also said that the federal police would focus more strategically on complex and transnational crimes, such as terrorism, organised crime, cybercrime, trafficking networks, and other serious security threats that require national coordination and specialised capacity.
”Let me therefore reassure the officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force that their relevance, responsibilities and professional importance within Nigeria’s security architecture remain both intense and indispensable.
”The mission we seek is one of strategy, not competition, partnership, not duplication. I, therefore, urge you to approach your assignments with diligence, intellectual rigour and a deep sense of patriotism.
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”The expectations of Nigerians are high, and the outcome of your work will play a significant role in shaping the future of policing in our country,” he added
Mr Disu assumed office as the 23rd IGP last week following the resignation of his predecessor, Kayode Egbetokun.
Mr Egbetokun had opposed the plan by President Bola Tinubu’s government to establish state police.
PREMIUM TIMES reported exclusively that one of the reasons the former IGP was asked to resign was because of his stance on the creation of State Police.
For the umpteenth time, President Tinubu, on 26 February, spoke about his support for the creation of state police. He had asked the leadership of the 10th Senate to amend the constitution to provide a legal framework for the establishment of State Police to tackle insecurity nationwide.
