The National Economic Council (NEC) will make a decision on the establishment of state police in January, following submissions from 36 states on the matter.
However, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has yet to present its position.
This was disclosed by Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, during a briefing after the NEC meeting, which was presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday.
Governor Sani noted that while the FCT cited reasons for its delay, the council opted to defer deliberations until its next meeting.
“Today, one of the discussions we had at the NEC meeting was the update on the creation of state police,” he said.
Governor Sani revealed that 36 states have submitted their positions, with most expressing support for the initiative due to ongoing security challenges in their areas.
He explained: “From what is available, virtually all the states are in agreement with the establishment of state police in Nigeria. However, the council decided to step down the discussion until the Next meeting to allow the secretariat to finalise its report.”
The governor added that a comprehensive report from the NEC secretariat would be presented at the January meeting, followed by further deliberations and stakeholder engagements.
Governor Sani underscored the widespread consensus on the need for state police as a solution to Nigeria’s security challenges.
He highlighted the peculiar security issues in various states and the gaps in existing federal security structures.
“Virtually every state has its peculiar challenges when it comes to insecurity,” he said.
“We have a lot of ungoverned spaces and a significant deficit in security personnel, whether in the police, army, or other agencies. This is why many of us agree that establishing state police is the way forward to address these problems.”
The governor emphasised the urgent need for localised security forces to complement existing national efforts, particularly in light of insufficient manpower to secure all areas effectively.
The NEC’s decision in January is expected to determine the next steps for the implementation of state police as part of a broader strategy to enhance security across Nigeria.
