The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially declared that the country is ready for the establishment of state police, marking a significant step toward reforming the nation's security architecture.
In a statement delivered today in Abuja while receiving a delegation from the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s strong determination to implement state police as soon as practicable.
“It is the desire of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that we have state police as soon as it is practicable in this country. The time has indeed come for that,” Minister Idris stated.
He emphasized that decentralised policing has become imperative to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other threats that have persisted across various regions.
The Minister highlighted that President Tinubu is actively engaging relevant stakeholders, including the National Assembly, to secure the necessary legal and constitutional frameworks required for this reform.
Recent appeals by the President to the leadership of the 10th Senate during an interfaith engagement underscore the urgency of amending the 1999 Constitution to accommodate state-level policing structures.
This development aligns with President Tinubu’s broader agenda to strengthen internal security, enhance community-based responses, improve intelligence gathering, and empower states to respond more effectively to local threats while maintaining a robust national security framework.
The Federal Government reiterated its commitment to collaborating with state governors, lawmakers, security agencies, and civil society to ensure the smooth and transparent rollout of state police, with safeguards to prevent abuse and uphold national unity.
President Tinubu’s administration views state police as a critical component of building a safer, more prosperous Nigeria where citizens can live without fear and contribute fully to economic growth and national development.