The commencement in developing a legal framework for the establishment of state police, as part of the legislative commitment to reduce insecurity in the country, by the National Assembly will largely address the clamour by the 36 state governors and civil society organisations (CSOs) in this regard.
Governors and CSOs have over the years advocated the creation of state police as a panacea to the seemingly intractable insecurity that has almost plunged Nigeria into the Hobbesian state of nature where life is “nasty, brutish and short”.
The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central, Ekiti state), made the disclosure during his Easter message to Nigerians penultimate Sunday. He condemned the recent killings in Benue and Plateau states, describing them as contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ, particularly on peace, love, and unity. He also urged security agencies to work together to apprehend those responsible for the killings.
“The recent killings in Benue and Plateau states outrightly negated the virtues of peace and love that Jesus Christ taught during His days. The recurrent utterances by some political and sectional figures also belied the values of courage, perseverance and tolerance He evidently lived for. No country develops as a result of one section rising up against another.
“While the authority of the National Assembly is in the process of developing legal frameworks for the establishment of state police as one of the measures to address insecurity in the country, we urge security agencies to work together as a team to track and apprehend all the masterminds and sponsors of terror attacks nationwide,” the senator said.
It is instructive that a National Conference was convened during the President Goodluck Jonathan administration where the participants recommended the creation of state police as a strategy to reduce insecurity. In furtherance to this, the resurgence of banditry, kidnapping, and other terrorism activities has increased pressure from governors and political leaders for the creation of state police.
In the absence of a formal state policing structure, some zones have established informal security outfits such as Amotekun in the South-west, Ebube Agu in the South-east, and Hisbah in the North-west.
Nonetheless, the call for state police is still a contentious issue among political figures. Some argued that without proper arrangements, state police could be exploited by governors to harass political opponents, suppress dissent, and stifle press freedom. Others said the best way to reduce insecurity is through state policing.
In a twist of events, however, the National Economic Council (NEC) rose from its monthly meeting last week and again failed to deliberate on the issue of state police despite the worsening security situation in the country. NEC had at its previous sittings assured members and the people of a final resolution of the matter whenever it reconvenes.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state had categorically stated during the NEC meeting in February, 2025, that all the 36 states were favourably disposed to the establishment of state police, assuring that when the council reconvenes, it would make a pronouncement and rest the matter.
However, responding to a question on whether the issue of state police was discussed at Thursday’s meeting held at the State House, Abuja with Vice President Kashim Shettima presiding, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa state said it was part of the agenda of the meeting but it was deferred as a result of some presentations on other pressing national issues which took better time of NEC. He assured that the matter would be deliberated exhaustively in the next council meeting in May, 2025, in order to put it to rest.
“State police was part of our agenda today (Thursday), but unfortunately, because of time demands you know, we have been there for a very long time now, the presentations, we were unable to get to that bit of it (state police). So, I can assure you that in our next meeting, that issue will be exhaustively discussed,” he said.
Also, the Nigerian Governors after a meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, emphasised the need for increased recruitment into security agencies and the adoption of technology-driven solutions to tackle killings at the various state level.
The governors in a communique of their meeting read by Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo state said as an immediate step to address the surge in killings in parts of the country they set up a committee to collaborate with security agency heads on a joint strategy.
Since the reported killing of at least 15 people on March 9 in a series of renewed attacks by suspected herders in Katsina-Ala local government area of Benue state, incidents involving unidentified gunmen had continued to claim more lives.
On April 14, a fresh attack took place in Zike hamlet, Kimakpa community, within the Kwall district of Irigwe chiefdom, Bassa local government area, Plateau state, resulting in the death of at least 52 individuals, including an entire family of eight, with property worth billions of naira destroyed.
Blueprint is of the opinion that the establishment of state police as part of the fight against insecurity in Nigeria has become inevitable. This conviction is predicated on the escalation of the killings and wanton destruction of property by bandits, insurgents and other criminal elements across the country.
Consequently, we urge the National Assembly to expedite the process of the development of the legal framework for the establishment of state police in Nigeria. It is expedient for NEC to address the issue of state police as a matter of utmost national importance. Nigeria can no longer afford to lose its law-abiding citizens to die-hard enemies of state.