The Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) has reaffirmed its strong support for the establishment of state police as part of efforts to tackle the persistent security challenges facing the northern region and the country at large.
The Chairman of the forum and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, made the position known during the forum’s meeting held in Abuja. He said the forum had consistently maintained that the current security architecture in Nigeria requires urgent reform, particularly through the creation of state police structures.
According to Yahaya, the nature of modern security threats has evolved beyond what a centrally controlled policing system can effectively manage, stressing that localised and intelligence-driven policing has become necessary to address insecurity across communities.
“We have consistently maintained that the nature and complexity of the security challenges we face require localized, intelligence-driven responses that only state policing can effectively provide,” he said.
The Northern governors noted that crimes such as banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, and communal conflicts often occur in remote and rural communities where local intelligence and rapid response are critical. They argued that state police would allow governors and local authorities to respond more quickly and effectively to security threats within their jurisdictions.
Yahaya also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for working closely with the National Assembly to create the constitutional framework that would make the establishment of state police possible. He described the collaboration between the executive and legislature as a significant step toward reforming Nigeria’s security structure.
He explained that the forum’s position was not new, noting that northern governors had repeatedly called for state police over the years as insecurity continued to affect farming, business activities, and general livelihood in many parts of the region.
Security analysts have long argued that Nigeria’s policing system is overstretched, with a limited number of personnel covering a very large population. The governors believe that decentralising policing would not only improve security response time but also enhance intelligence gathering since local officers would better understand the terrain, language, and community dynamics.
However, the proposal for state police has also generated debate across the country, with some stakeholders expressing concerns about possible abuse of power by state governments. Despite these concerns, the Northern States Governors’ Forum insisted that proper legal frameworks, oversight mechanisms, and accountability structures could be put in place to prevent misuse.
Yahaya said the forum would continue to work with the Federal Government, the National Assembly, and other stakeholders to ensure that the legal and operational framework for state police is properly developed to serve the interests of all Nigerians.
He added that improving security remained a top priority for northern governors, noting that peace and stability were necessary for economic growth, agricultural productivity, education, and overall development in the region.
The renewed call by the Northern governors is expected to intensify national discussions on security sector reforms, particularly as Nigeria continues to explore new strategies to address insecurity across different parts of the country.
As deliberations continue at the federal level, many Nigerians are watching closely to see whether the long-debated state police system will finally become a reality, and whether it will bring the much-needed solution to the country’s complex security challenges.
