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The beginning in the development of a legal framework for the establishment of the state police, as part of the legislative commitment to reduce insecurity in the country, by the National Assembly, will largely face the clamor by the 36 state governors and civil society organizations (CSO) in this regard.
The governors and CSOs have supported over the years the creation of the State Police such as a Panacea to the apparently intractable insecurity that has almost immersed Nigeria in the state of Hobbesian nature in which life is “ugly, brutal and short”.
The leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central, Ekiti State), made the disclosure during his Easter message to the Nigeriani Penultimo Sunday. He condemned the recent killings in the States of Benue and plateau, describing them in contrast to the teachings of Jesus Christ, in particular on peace, love and unity. He also urged the security agencies to work together to arrest the managers of the killings.
“The recent murders in Benue and Plateau have denied the virtues of the peace and love that Jesus Christ taught during his days. The recurring expressions from some political and sectional figures have also denied the values ββof courage, perseverance and tolerance for which he evidently lived. No country develops due to a section that rises against another.
“While the authority of the National Assembly is developing legal paintings for the establishment of the State Police as one of the measures to face insecurity in the country, we urge the security agencies to work together as a team to trace and arrest all the minds and sponsors of terrorist attacks at national level,” said the senator.
It is instructive that a national conference was convened during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan in which the participants recommended the creation of the State Police as a strategy to reduce insecurity. In support of this, the rebirth of bandits, kidnappings and other terrorism activities has increased the pressure by governors and political leaders for the creation of the State Police.
In the absence of a formal state police structure, some areas have established informal security clothes such as Amatekun in the South-West, Ebube AGU in the South-East and Hisbah in the North-West.
However, the state police request is still a controversial question among the political figures. Some argued that without adequate agreements, the State Police could be exploited by governors to harass political opponents, suppress dissent and suffocate freedom of the press. Others said that the best way to reduce insecurity is through the state police.
In a turning point of events, however, the National Economic Council (NEC) went from last week’s monthly meeting and again failed to deliberate on the state police issue despite the deterioration of the security situation in the country. NEC had in his previous sessions insured to the members and the people of a final resolution of the issue every time they recognize themselves.
The Governor UBA Sani of Kaduna State had categorically declared during the meeting of the NEC of February 2025, that all 36 States were favorably willing to the establishment of the State Police, ensuring that when the Council recognizes, he would make a declaration and would rest the matter.
However, answering a question that the state police issue was discussed during the Thursday meeting at the State House, Abuja with the vice -president Kashim Shettimo, chairing, the governor Douye Diri of the State of Bayelsa said that he was part of the Agenda of the meeting, but was deferred due to some presentations on other national issues that have better brought the time of NEC. He assured that the question would be resolved exhaustively at the next meeting of the Council of May 2025, in order to put him at rest.
“The State Police was part of our agenda today (Thursday), but unfortunately, because of the requests of time you know, we have been there for a long time, the presentations, we have not been able to get to that little (State Police). So, I can assure you that in our next meeting, this problem will be discussed exhaustively,” he said.
In addition, the Nigerian governors after a meeting with the head of defense, General Christopher Musa, underlined the need for an increase in recruitment in safety agencies and the adoption of solutions led by technology to deal with murders at various state levels.
The governors of a press release from their meeting read by the governor hope that Uzodimma of the state of imo said that as an immediate step to tackle the increase in killings in some parts of the country they created a committee to collaborate with the garments of the safety agency on a joint strategy.
From the reported killing of at least 15 people on March 9 in a series of renewed attacks by suspicious shepherds in the area of ββthe local government of Katsina-Ala in Benue’s state, the accidents involving unidentified armed men had continued to claim more lives.
On April 14, a new attack on Zike Hamlet took place in the Kimakpa community, within the Kwall district of Irigwe Chiefdom, area of ββthe local government of Bassa, a plateau state, with consequent death of at least 52 people, including an entire family of eight, with delegated properties owned by Naira.
Blueprint It is of the opinion that the establishment of the State Police as part of the fight against insecurity in Nigeria has become inevitable. This belief is based on the escalation of murders and on the unbridled destruction of properties by bandits, insurgents and other criminal elements across the country.
As a result, we urge the national assembly to accelerate the process of development of the legal framework for the establishment of the State Police in Nigeria. It is appropriate to deal with the issue of the State Police as a utmost national importance. Nigeria can no longer afford to lose its citizens respectful of the law to challenge state enemies.
