By Our Correspondent
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken one of the most decisive security steps of his administration, officially endorsing the creation of state police forces while declaring a nationwide security emergency aimed at tackling Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.
The President, who announced the measures during a national broadcast and subsequent policy directives, said the federal structure of policing must evolve to meet the escalating threats of banditry, kidnappings, terrorism, and rural violence that have gripped several regions of the country. He emphasized that the current centralized police system is overstretched and no longer adequate for today’s security realities.
As part of the sweeping reforms, Tinubu directed the Nigeria Police Force and the Armed Forces to embark on a massive recruitment drive, with the police expected to enlist tens of thousands of new officers within months. He also ordered the withdrawal of police officers attached to VIPs, directing them back to frontline community policing, where manpower has been critically lacking for years.
In a move widely praised by security experts and regional leaders, Tinubu stated his full support for state governments to establish their own police agencies. He called on the National Assembly to begin the necessary constitutional and legal amendments that will empower states to operate independent police forces alongside federal agencies.
According to the presidency, the endorsement of state policing is intended to bring law enforcement closer to communities, improve response time, strengthen intelligence gathering, and reduce the burden on the overstretched federal police. The administration also announced the deployment of trained forest guards to clear out criminal hideouts in forests known to shelter bandits and terror groups.
However, the renewed push for state police has revived long standing debates. Critics warn that without strong safeguards, state controlled police units could be prone to political misuse, harassment of opposition figures, or ethnic bias. Civil society groups have urged the federal government to put in place strict oversight structures, standard training requirements, and clear accountability measures to prevent abuse.
Despite these concerns, supporters say Tinubu’s decision signals long overdue political will to restructure Nigeria’s security system. With violent crime rising in several parts of the country, many argue that the creation of state police has become inevitable and necessary.
The coming months will reveal how quickly the National Assembly acts on the constitutional amendments and how prepared states are to establish, fund, and manage their own police formations. Analysts note that implementation, coordination, and oversight will determine whether the reform brings real improvement to Nigeria’s security challenges.
President Tinubu’s new measures mark a major turning point in the fight against insecurity and may become one of the most significant policing reforms in Nigeria’s recent history.
