…Gbajabiamila says reform among Tinubu’s most consequential initiatives
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) on Monday threw its weight behind the implementation of state police, declaring that the time had come for Nigeria to embrace a decentralised policing system in line with global best practice.
Speaking on behalf of the NGF at the unveiling of the website of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill in the State House, Abuja, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun said there was now an overwhelming national consensus that Nigeria must adopt state police to effectively address its growing security challenges.
Abiodun argued that Nigeria remained an anomaly among federal systems by operating a predominantly unitary policing structure, insisting that virtually every federation across the world had some form of sub-national police.
“I do not know of any federal system anywhere in the world that operates a purely unitary policing structure. Every federal system I know has its own form of state police. Nigeria, with its complexity, makes the case even stronger.
“In terms of international best practice, the time for state police is long overdue,” the governor said.
The NGF representative also dismissed concerns over the proposed reform, saying the country had reached a point where alternative approaches to policing had become imperative.
“I believe that more than at any other time, there is a national consensus on this issue. Most Nigerians now agree that the time has come for state police.
“You cannot continue doing the same thing over and over again and expect a different result.
Even if this were an experiment, which I do not believe it is, it is time for us to explore better ways of securing the lives and property of our citizens, as guaranteed by the Constitution,” he added.
Earlier, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, described state police as one of the most consequential reforms of the Tinubu administration, saying the Presidential Working Group was developing the legal framework required to translate the constitutional amendment into an operational policing system.
He said the widespread public support that followed the constitutional amendment reflected Nigerians’ expectation that states would soon begin establishing their own police services.
Gbajabiamila dismissed suggestions that the Federal Government intended to retain control over state policing through the proposed National Policing Bill, explaining that the legislation was designed to provide the legal architecture needed for implementation.
“There is a misconception that what we are doing amounts to the Federal Government micro-managing what should ordinarily be a state responsibility. That is not so.
“Someone has to ensure that the constitutional amendment is reflected in a workable bill that can be implemented. That is exactly what this Working Group is doing,” he said.
According to him, the bill will address critical issues arising from the transition to a multi-layer policing system, including jurisdiction between federal and state police, funding arrangements, recruitment capacity and consequential amendments to existing laws.
He disclosed that the Working Group was also considering recommending federal grants to assist states with start-up funding, particularly those with limited financial capacity.
Gbajabiamila urged Nigerians to engage with the newly launched interactive website to contribute ideas to the legislative process, expressing confidence that the bill would be completed within schedule while constitutional ratification by state Houses of Assembly progressed concurrently.
He also called on the media to sustain public enlightenment on the reform, describing state police as a landmark initiative that could redefine Nigeria’s internal security architecture.
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