IGP Disu backs creation of State Police

Tunji Disu has declared that the Nigeria Police Force is ready to support the establishment of state police, describing the initiative as a partnership rather than a threat to the existing force.

Speaking after being sworn in as the 23rd Inspector-General of Police in Abuja on Wednesday, Disu said the concept of state police “has come to stay” and assured that the police would actively contribute to shaping its implementation.

He disclosed that a committee was set up earlier in the day to examine the issue from the perspective of the Nigeria Police Force. According to him, the police do not want a situation where key decisions are taken without their institutional input.

“We want to ensure that the best thing is done. State police has come to stay, and the police should be able to contribute their part in making it succeed. The police are not afraid, our jobs are not being taken. It is an issue of partnership,” he said.

Earlier, the new IGP inaugurated a committee to oversee the implementation process. The panel, to be led by Olu Ogunsakin, a professor of police studies, is expected to develop an operational framework for the establishment and coordination of state police structures.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has repeatedly pledged to create state police as part of broader reforms aimed at tackling insecurity across the country. He recently requested the National Assembly of Nigeria to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide a legal framework for the decentralisation of the police system.

The National Assembly has since commenced the constitutional amendment process to accommodate the creation of state police, marking a significant shift in Nigeria’s policing structure if successfully enacted.