State Police: Govs Submit Proposal to N’ASSEMBLY

Governors under the Nigeria Governors Forum have submitted their position on the proposed state police system to the office of the National Security Adviser, with the document set to be forwarded to the National Assembly for review and possible legislation.

The update was given on Sunday during a meeting with Bola Tinubu at his residence in Lagos.

The chairman of the forum and governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, said discussions on creating state police are ongoing among security agencies under the coordination of Nuhu Ribadu.

He explained that the governors have already made their input and submitted it as part of the process to develop a legal framework that will guide the establishment of state police across the country.

The proposal is expected to move to the National Assembly, where lawmakers will examine it and decide on the next steps needed to give it legal backing. The move is part of ongoing efforts to address insecurity by bringing policing closer to local communities.

During the meeting, the governors also spoke about their plan to continue working closely with security agencies to tackle security challenges, improve infrastructure, and support better living conditions for citizens.

They expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation in order to reduce threats across different parts of the country.

The forum also reacted to the recent trip by President Tinubu to the United Kingdom, noting that the visit has helped strengthen ties between Nigeria and the UK. They said the agreements reached during the trip could bring economic benefits and improve relations between both countries.

In addition, the governors called on Nigerians, especially leaders, to promote unity, understanding, and cooperation as part of efforts to improve peace and stability nationwide. About 25 state governors attended the meeting, along with top government officials, including Kashim Shettima and Femi Gbajabiamila.

The idea of state police has continued to generate debate across the country. While some believe it will help improve security at the local level, others are concerned about how it could be managed and the risk of misuse by political leaders.

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, had earlier set up a committee to work on how the system could be implemented if approved.