Nigerian government considers establishment of state police to address security challenges

The Nigerian Government leadership comprising the President and Governors have considered the possibility of setting up state police, while more discussions are still needed on how to implement it, as being seen as significant

Penpushing reports that the Minister of Information Mohammed Idris dropped the hint on Thursday explaining that this was parts of the discussions by President Bola Tinubu when he met with the Governors in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT)

‘Now, there is also a discussion around the issue of state police. The federal government and the state governments are mulling the possibility of setting up state police. Of course, this is still going to be further discussed. A lot of work has to be done in that direction’.

‘Both the federal government and the state governments agree to the necessity of having state police, now this is a significant shift. But like I said, more work needs to be done in that direction. A lot of meetings will have to happen between the federal government and the subnationals to see the modalities of achieving state policing’, he added

Penpushing further reports that Idris told journalists that in similar vein Tinubu and the State Governors discussed the possibility of improving the numerical strength of forest rangers and training them so that they can keep forests and borders safe.

The Minister said aside from insecurity, the meeting discussed issues of food security and inflation in the country, adding that the government would double down on its clamp down on food hoarders, stressing that a decision has also been taken that there will be no need for food importation at this point.

“At this point, the nation requires food to be brought out to the people so that we can control prices and put food on the table of most Nigerians, other commodity traders are busy hoarding these commodities so that Nigerians will suffer or they will make more money as a result,” the minister said.

“Nigeria has the potential to feed itself and even be a net exporter of food items to other countries. And we do not also want to reverse some of the progress we have seen in terms of food production in this country’, Idris stated.

‘What we’re seeing now is just a temporary difficulty that will soon go away. Therefore, the solution to it is by continuous investment in agriculture so that food can be made available to all Nigerians’, the minister emphasised

Penpushing also reports that Tinubu’s meeting with the Governors comes amid a recent surge in insecurity across the country, while various armed groups operate in different parts of the country, exploiting the absence of police and local administration.

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