Tinubu Pushes State Police As Insecurity Deepens, Urges Lawmakers To Act Fast
With kidnapping, banditry and violent attacks stretching Nigeria’s security forces thin, the debate over state policing has returned to the front burner, and this time, it has presidential backing.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is strongly in support of creating state police to tackle rising insecurity across the country, according to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
Speaking in Abuja during a visit by the Centre for Crisis Communication, Idris said the President is committed to decentralising policing to improve response to crimes such as kidnapping and violent attacks.
“It is the desire of the president to ensure that we have state police as soon as it is practicable,” he said, noting that the proposal would require constitutional and legislative approval by the National Assembly.
The minister argued that Nigeria’s centralised policing structure is overstretched and no longer adequate for a population of over 200 million people.
He urged lawmakers to expedite the necessary legal framework to make state policing a reality.
Beyond security reforms, Idris also warned about the dangers of misinformation, particularly through social media and artificial intelligence, stressing the need for responsible digital engagement.
Chairman of the Centre for Crisis Communication, Maj. Gen. Christopher Olukolade, called for the establishment of an independent national crisis communication hub, stronger digital regulation and improved media literacy to curb fake news and hate speech.
As insecurity continues to challenge public confidence, the push for state police may soon move from debate to decisive action.
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