December 18, 2025 — Dalena Reporters
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured leaders of the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) that his administration will establish a state police system in Nigeria as part of ongoing efforts to address the country’s deepening insecurity, officials said on Thursday. Tinubu made the pledge during the 14th All Progressives Congress (APC) National Caucus meeting held at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja.
Speaking to party leaders and governors, Tinubu said he had engaged in extensive discussions with US and EU counterparts about Nigeria’s security challenges and confidently assured them that the legislative framework needed to create a state police force would be passed. “They asked me if I’m confident, and I said, yes, I have a party to depend on. I have a party that will make it happen,” he said, underscoring his belief that the APC’s majority in the National Assembly will facilitate adoption of the reforms.
The president’s remarks come amid growing calls from civil society, political stakeholders and some state governors for a decentralised policing model that would allow state governments to have their own security forces tailored to local needs and challenges. Such a move aims to improve responsiveness to security threats including banditry, kidnapping and communal violence that have overwhelmed the Nigeria Police Force’s capacity in many parts of the country.
Tinubu also used the APC caucus meeting as a platform to urge governors and party executives to engage more directly with security issues in their communities, especially in rural areas where insecurity has been more pronounced. He emphasised flexibility, involvement in grassroots affairs, and cooperation with security agencies as essential to effective leadership.
The call for state policing has gained traction within both the executive and legislative branches. Only days earlier, the Senate threw its weight behind arguments for creation of a state police system, resolving that constitutional amendments are necessary to enable states and local governments more control over security operations in their jurisdictions.
However, the idea of state police is not without its critics. Some lawmakers have warned that devolving police powers to state governments could trigger politicisation of security forces and potentially be misused for partisan or regional ends. Opponents argue that without proper legal safeguards, state police could be used to intimidate political opponents or escalate local conflicts.
Observers say the move to reassure international partners about Nigeria’s security reform agenda may also be aimed at bolstering confidence among foreign investors and diplomatic allies concerned about the effects of persistent violence on economic stability. The administration has portrayed the establishment of state police as part of a broader security overhaul that includes legal reforms, community policing structures and better collaboration with traditional and local authorities.
As Nigeria continues to grapple with high rates of violent crime and mass kidnappings, the state police proposal if enacted would mark a significant shift in the country’s approach to internal security, potentially transforming how policing and public safety are managed across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.