NGF Backs Immediate Creation of State Police Across Nigeria

Nigeria’s governors have again declared support for the swift establishment of state police as part of efforts to tackle worsening insecurity across the country.

The position was reached during the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) meeting held in Abuja, where governors deliberated on security, electricity reforms, nutrition, and agricultural development.

Reading the communiqué after the meeting, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun said the Forum agreed that state policing must be legally grounded and consistent with democratic principles and citizens’ rights.

“Governors emphasised the need for the State Police to be constitutionally sound and aligned with federalism and citizens’ rights,” the communiqué read.

The Forum disclosed that it received detailed presentations from the NGF Secretariat and state Attorneys-General on ongoing efforts to support the creation of state police.

According to the governors, consultations are ongoing to review proposed constitutional amendments and operational frameworks that would guide the establishment of state-controlled policing structures.

The push for state police gained momentum after the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly in favour of a constitutional amendment bill seeking to decentralise policing in Nigeria.

The Senate also passed the bill for second reading on the same day.

If approved, the constitutional amendment would formally create separate Federal and State Police structures, with state governments empowered to establish and oversee their own police agencies under nationally approved standards.

The proposal also outlines safeguards limiting federal interference in state policing operations except in cases of major security breakdowns or where assistance is requested.

Beyond security, the governors reiterated their commitment to ongoing power sector reforms aimed at improving electricity access nationwide.

The Forum reviewed the National Solar Super-Grid Initiative, which proposes large-scale decentralised solar generation linked to a national transmission system.

Governors noted that the project could strengthen energy security, drive industrialisation, and stimulate economic growth across states.

The NGF also reaffirmed support for the National Nutrition 774 Initiative and ongoing efforts to tackle child malnutrition.

In addition, the governors welcomed collaboration with the World Bank and other partners on agricultural value-chain programmes designed to improve food security, increase private sector participation, and boost productivity in the sector.

Africans Angle News