Concerned with the country’s security concerns, the federal government and state governors are considering the creation of state police forces.
This was part of the talks between President Bola Tinubu and state governors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Muhammad Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, explained that the process is still in its initial stages and will only take shape after further consultations among stakeholders.
“Now, there is also a discussion around the issue of state police. The Federal Government and the state governments are mulling the possibility of setting up state police,” he said.
“Of course, this is still going to be further discussed. A lot of work has to be done in that direction. Both the Federal Government and the state governments agree on the necessity of having state police. Now this is a significant shift. But as I said, more work needs to be done in that direction.
“A lot of meetings will have to happen between the Federal Government and the sub-nationals to see the modalities of achieving this. Now, these are some of the issues that have been discussed.”
There have been clamour for state police as Nigeria grapples with worsening security challenges such as kidnapping and banditry.
Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had on Monday restated their position on state policing, as the solution to the country’s worsening security situation, lamenting that Nigeria is “almost on the road to Venezuela”.
Also, regional socio-political groups such as Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Middle Belt Forum, and the Northern Elders’ Forum, have repeatedly called for state police as solution the myriad of increasing security challenges confronting the nation.
Already, states in the South-West geopolitical zone have formed the Amotekun while their counterparts in the South-East also created state-owned security outfit Ebube Agu. The Benue Guards has also been operational in Benue State in the North Central while states like Katsina, Zamfara and other bandit-prone sub-nationals have also come up with similar state-established outfits.
However, these outfits have not been effective as anticipated as they don’t have the backing of the Federal Government or the Presidency while states continue to demand that Amotekun, Ebube Agu and others are granted license to bear assault rifles like AK-47 to confront lethal gun-toting marauders.