Speaker Tajudeen, IGP, others drum up support for State Police in Abuja

Stakeholders, including the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Rilwan Disu; Secretary of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, Nnadubem Moghalu; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen; former Minority Leader, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu; Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago; and House spokesman, Akin Rotimi, have expressed support for the establishment of State Police in Nigeria.

They spoke in support of the initiative at the 2nd Annual Distinguished Parliamentary Lecture organised by the House of Representatives Press Corps in Abuja.

Speaking on the theme, “The Imperative for State Police: Securing Communities, Strengthening Federalism,” Moghalu said policing reforms should ensure that Nigerians could obtain police protection without political connections or payment.

According to him, “the Nigerian who needs the police at three in the morning should be able to get help without influence, without payment demanded as the price of protection, and without first becoming a national news story.”

He said the proposed reform should ultimately be judged by whether it improves the everyday experience of Nigerians seeking protection.

Moghalu said State Police could address the varying security needs of communities, noting that effective policing depended on understanding local circumstances.

“Policing a dense commercial district requires different knowledge than policing a rural transport corridor. Effective prevention depends on understanding local circumstances, maintaining relationships and recognising changes before they become emergencies,” he said.

He, however, warned against political interference, including the possibility of governors using State Police against opponents or local majorities targeting minorities.

“Our institutions must be designed to work even when people we distrust hold power. Personal assurances from today’s officeholders cannot carry that responsibility. Therefore, the law must define authority clearly and make its misuse answerable,” he said.

Moghalu disclosed that the constitutional amendment required for State Police had been transmitted to the state Houses of Assembly. He said Edo, Rivers, Osun and Oyo had approved the Bill at the time of his presentation, while 24 states were required to meet the constitutional threshold.

He stressed that the constitutional amendment and the National Policing Bill were separate processes.

“The amendment would create a constitutional basis for the dual policing model. The National Policing Bill is intended to provide the operational framework through which that constitutional model can work,” he said.

Moghalu also warned that State Police would fail if it simply reproduced existing weaknesses.

“If these reforms merely federalise the status quo, distributing familiar failures across more institutions, they will have failed,” he said.

Speaking through Akin Rotimi, Speaker Tajudeen urged journalists to assess legislation and public policies based on their provisions and likely consequences rather than partisan considerations.

He called on journalists to approach public issues through “the prism of intellect, evidence, independent opinion and sound judgment.”

The Speaker also stressed the importance of media independence, saying, “We do not expect the Press Corps to become an echo chamber for Parliament. Its independence is precisely what gives its work credibility.”

He, however, urged journalists covering the National Assembly to maintain accuracy, fairness and context in their reports.

The Inspector-General of Police, represented by Deputy Commissioner of Police Suleiman Gulma, also backed discussions on policing reform.

Disu said, “As our nation evaluates modern security structures, engaging in robust, transparent, and multi-stakeholder conversations about state policing, community engagement, and decentralization is essential for sustainable progress.”

Niger State Governor Bago, represented by APC National Vice Chairman (North Central), Muazu Bawa Rijau, said policing must be brought closer to communities to address their peculiar security challenges.

ALSO READ: Kano Assembly begins review of State Police Bill

“When we look at the rate of crime and insecurity in Nigeria, it becomes clear that there is a need for a more effective security architecture that can respond to the peculiar challenges of our communities,” he said.

He added, “Based on the problems we face, everything happens in our communities and cities. This is why we believe there is a need to bring policing closer to the people.”

Former Minority Leader Elumelu also supported State Police, saying the debate was timely and should be approached with safeguards to prevent abuse.

Meanwhile, NUJ FCT Council Chairman, Grace Ike, said State Police could improve security, strengthen federalism and promote accountability by bringing policing closer to the people.

Chairman of the House of Representatives Press Corps, Gboyega Onadiran, said the issue had moved beyond theory, describing it as a lived reality for Nigerians confronting insecurity.

He said lawmakers continued to raise concerns over terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, farmer-herder conflicts and ungoverned spaces, noting that more than 50 per cent of motions considered by the House over the past 15 years had been security-related.

Onadiran said the central concerns remained whether State Police could protect communities without becoming political tools and what safeguards, funding and oversight mechanisms would guarantee professionalism and accountability.