Sixteen of Nigeria’s 36 states have submitted reports on the proposed establishment of state police.
This happened after the Federal and State Governments decided to figure out how to create state police to deal with the security problems in the country.
The country has been dealing with kidnappings, attacks by suspected bandits, and other violent crimes, which has led to calls for the creation of a multi-level policing system, including state police.
Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, said that the discussion about state police took place at a National Economic Council meeting.
Nkwocha stated, “The NEC Secretary (Mr Nebeolisa Anako) talked about the submissions by states on the state policing initiative.
“Sixteen states have turned in reports about the creation of state police.
“Twenty states still need to send in their reports. All states in the country have expressed their support for the establishment of state police.”
But the specific states that have submitted reports were not mentioned.
The Vice President’s spokesperson confirmed that the total number of reports will be presented at the next NEC meeting, and the compilation is still ongoing.
On February 20, 2024, a bill proposing the creation of state police successfully passed the second reading at the House of Representatives.
The bill titled, ‘A bill for an Act to alter the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to provide for the establishment of State Police and related matters,’ was set for a second reading before the end of the week.
Supported by 13 House members, the bill gained majority support in the Green Chamber, with many lawmakers stating that the security challenges are more important than worries about political victimization by state governors.
The call for creating state police in Nigeria mostly stems from the fact that the Nigerian Police Force is centralized, which many security experts think is not enough to address the different security challenges in the country’s diverse regions.
Advocates argue that the creation of state police would bring law enforcement closer to the communities they serve, improve policing effectiveness, and allow for more local control over security matters.
However, opponents are concerned that state police could be misused, especially in states with strong political control, which could worsen regional tensions and damage national unity.
