By Cross Udo, Abuja
Debates over the creation of state police gained fresh traction on Wednesday, as Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, inaugurated a seven-member committee to develop a framework for the possible establishment of state police structures nationwide.
The committee was inaugurated during the IGP’s inaugural Conference with Senior Police Officers at the Peacekeeping Conference Centre, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Disu described the assignment as “significant and timely,” noting that the committee’s work would help shape how state policing could operate within Nigeria’s federal security architecture.
“In carrying out this assignment, your deliberations must be guided by professionalism, objectivity, and a clear appreciation of the unique complexities of policing a diverse nation such as our own,” the IGP said.
According to him, the panel will review policing models within and outside Nigeria, assess security needs across communities and emerging risks, and propose an operational structure for the establishment and coordination of state police institutions.
It will also recommend standards for recruitment, training and resource allocation while developing accountability and oversight mechanisms to ensure professionalism and public trust.
“If thoughtfully designed and effectively implemented, state policing holds significant potential benefits for our country,” Disu said.
“By bringing law enforcement closer to communities, state police institutions can deepen local knowledge of security dynamics and enable quicker and more targeted responses to emerging threats.”
The committee is chaired by Prof. Olu Ogunsakin, Director-General of the National Institute for Police Studies, and Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, will serve as secretary.
Other members include retired Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Ojukwu, Deputy Commissioners of Police, Okebechi Agora and Suleyman Gulma, and Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ikechukwu Okafor.
The IGP said the committee has about four weeks to submit its report.
The initiative comes amid renewed national conversations on state police as Nigeria continues to confront security challenges ranging from banditry and insurgency to communal clashes and kidnappings across several regions.
*President orders him to restore public trust, professionalism
President Bola Tinubu had earlier directed the National Assembly to commence legislative processes to amend the constitution to establish state police.
Disu’s move also follows his recent appointment as Nigeria’s 23rd indigenous Inspector-General of Police by President Tinubu.
During his inauguration at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the President charged the new police chief to strengthen professionalism, accountability and public confidence in the Nigeria Police Force.
Reiterating that commitment during a Wednesday meeting with senior officers, Disu warned that misconduct within the Force would no longer be tolerated.
“There will be no sacred cows,” he declared.
“Ranks, seniority, or position will offer no protection. Officers found culpable will face swift and appropriate disciplinary actions, including dismissal and prosecution where applicable.”
He stressed that respect for human rights and accountability must remain central to policing.
“The Nigerian Police Force exists to serve the people, protect the nation and uphold the rule of law. These are not abstract ideas; they are daily obligations,” the IGP said.
*Police monitoring Middle-East tensions over possible spill-over, says IGP
Meanwhile, the police leadership said it is closely monitoring developments in the Middle East amid concerns that tensions there could affect security in Nigeria.
Speaking with State House correspondents shortly after his swearing-in, Disu said the police had intensified intelligence gathering, surveillance and patrols across the country as precautionary measures.
“Everywhere in the world, we are aware of what we call intelligence policing. Our ears are to the ground,” he said.
“We know we have groups of people and different kinds of Islamic sects in Nigeria. We also have those who pay allegiance to the eastern part of the world. So if anything happens there, the repercussions could come here.”
He said security agencies were already engaging community and religious leaders to ensure that tensions abroad do not trigger unrest locally.
“We are putting all necessary actions in place. You can see policemen on patrol, and most importantly, we are talking to them to ensure that they do not take the law into their own hands,” Disu added.
The IGP also urged Nigerians to avoid spreading unverified information capable of causing panic, particularly on social media, and called on citizens to support security agencies with credible intelligence to help maintain peace and stability across the country.
