36 governors back state police

36 state governors have endorsed the creation of state police, following the submission of their reports to the National Economic Council (NEC).

Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the NEC meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, December 12, 2024.

Sani stated that many state governors were in agreement with plans to establish state police in view of the fact that virtually every state has security challenges.

According to him, there are a lot of ungoverned territories in Nigeria and a deficit in terms of number of security officials.

He added that the police, the army, and other relevant security agencies have no personnel to cover all the states and the country as a whole.

Sani said: “That is the reason why most of us (governors) agreed that the establishment of state police in Nigeria is the way forward to address the problem of insecurity in the country.

“So, today one of the topics of discussion at the NEC meeting is the update on the creation of the state police.

NEC gives Abuja, Kwara, others one-week ultimatum to submit positions on state police

“And I can say here that from what is available, virtually most of the states are in agreement with the establishment of state police in Nigeria.”

The governor, however, said the council decided to step down the discussion on the state police until the next NEC meeting in January 2025.

He stated: “The council decided to step down the discussion until the next council meeting because we need to come up with a report from the secretariat.

“There will be further stakeholder engagement after the panel and deliberation by the members of the NEC.”

NEC had, during its meeting held on November 21, mandated Kwara, Adamawa, and Kebbi States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to submit their positions on state police within one week.

Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri had disclosed that 33 state governors submitted their positions, except those of Adamawa, Kebbi, and Kwara States.

The council had mandated the remaining states and the FCT to make their submissions within one week to present a consolidated state position on the state police at today’s NEC meeting.

The Star