Sixteen state governors have voiced their support for the establishment of state police and recommended constitutional amendments to enable its creation, submitting reports to the National Economic Council (NEC) to that effect.
These recommendations were among the documents presented at the 140th NEC meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja on Thursday.
Stanley Nkwocha, the Special Adviser to the Vice President on Media and Communications, disclosed this in a statement titled “NEC endorses take-off of $617M i-DICE programme across states.”
The statement revealed that while 16 states had submitted reports on the establishment of state police, NEC is still awaiting reports from 20 other states. Nonetheless, it expressed confidence that more states would lend their support to the initiative.
The National Economic Council, established by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, comprises the 36 state governors, the Governor of the Central Bank, and other co-opted government officials. It meets monthly to advise the President on economic affairs and coordinate economic planning efforts across the federation.
According to Nkwocha, the Secretary to NEC, Mr. Nebeolisa Anako, delivered a presentation on the submissions by states regarding the state policing initiative. He noted that states had advocated for changes in the constitution and the current policing structure to facilitate the operationalization of the initiative.
While specific details about the supporting states were not provided, Nkwocha assured that the total number would be presented at the next NEC meeting as the compilation process continues.
This move comes in the wake of escalating security challenges across Nigeria, including waves of abductions, bandit attacks, and other violent crimes. The recent spate of attacks underscores the urgent need for a multi-level policing system, including state police, to address the country’s security crisis effectively.
In a related development, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum emphasized the incorporation of state policing as a crucial amendment in the ongoing 1999 Constitutional Amendment process to address fundamental flaws in the national security framework.
The debate surrounding the creation of state police centers on decentralizing law enforcement to bring it closer to communities, thereby enhancing effectiveness and localized control over security matters. However, concerns about potential abuse of power and exacerbation of regional tensions remain among opponents of the initiative.
