Afenifere, northern leaders demand state police amid delays

Just 17 months after the Tinubu administration showed interest in creating a decentralized police force, various sociopolitical groups, civil society organizations, and former military personnel have increased their demands for its establishment.

This surge in advocacy came after a meeting on Tuesday, where President Bola Tinubu met with influential residents of Katsina State. During this meeting, he emphasized that the Federal Government would accelerate the process of granting more powers to local authorities and enhance the resources for newly assigned forest guards.

“I am evaluating every security aspect; establishing a state police is a priority,” Tinubu informed the group led by Governor Dikko Radda.

On Thursday, Afenifere's National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, responded positively to the President's renewed push for state police.

In an interview with The PUNCH in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, Ajayi expressed optimism that Tinubu would eliminate the obstacles hindering progress by the end of 2025.

“It’s widely recognized that discussions about state police have been prominent for some time. Tinubu has consistently shown his support for this initiative.

“Indeed, given the President's stance, one would have expected this program to be underway by now,” he remarked.

Ajayi referred to comments from Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, who in February 2024 revealed Tinubu's renewed commitment to establishing state police following discussions with state governors at the Aso Rock Villa.

"It seems that the President’s recent emphasis on the need for state police indicates the Federal Government is prepared to move forward,” he suggested.

He also noted that Olu Falae, the National Chair of Afenifere, referred to the formation of state police as “long overdue.”

On February 15, 2024, the Federal Government and all 36 states began discussions anticipated to lead to the establishment of state police. This was part of the agreements from an emergency meeting between the President and the state governors.

This initiative came in reaction to rising incidents of violence and kidnappings across the nation, along with soaring food prices and economic struggles.

After the meeting, the Minister of Information and National Orientation addressed the media, clarifying that the process was still in its early stages and would develop further through discussions among stakeholders.

“The Federal and state governments are considering the establishment of state police,” stated Idris, adding, “This topic requires thorough discussion. Substantial efforts must be invested in this direction. However, if both levels of government agree on the need for state police, it represents a major change.”

As a result, the National Economic Council asked each state to provide comprehensive reports detailing their views and plans regarding the implementation of state police.

By March 2024, 16 states had submitted their reports, while others were expected to do so by May. However, the states that lagged behind only submitted their reports in December 2024.

Even though all 36 states eventually submitted their reports, the National Economic Council postponed discussions on the matter three times.