The newly sworn-in Inspector General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, has moved quickly to address one of the most significant shifts in Nigeria’s security architecture.
​Shortly after his formal swearing-in by President Bola Tinubu, IGP Disu inaugurated an eight-member steering committee to develop a framework for the establishment of State Police.
​The committee is tasked with bridging the gap between the federal police and the proposed state-level structures to ensure they complement rather than conflict with each other.
The Chairman, Professor Olu Ogunsakin (Director-General of the National Institute for Police Studies) and Secretary CP Bode Ojajuni are mandated to review existing policing models globally.
Propose an operational framework for state police coordination and set standards for recruitment, training, and resource allocation. Develop oversight mechanisms to prevent political abuse and ensure accountability.
​For years, the debate over state police has been a tug-of-war between those who believe it’s the only way to tackle localized insecurity (like banditry and kidnapping) and those who fear state governors would use it as a political weapon.
The committee was given one month to submit its report. This initiative aligns with President Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, which seeks to decentralize policing to make it more responsive to local realities. However, it still requires a constitutional amendment by the National Assembly to become fully operational, as policing is currently on the “Exclusive Legislative List.”
IGP Disu has emphasized that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is not “afraid” of this change, viewing it as a partnership rather than a threat to federal authority.
