The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu has inaugurated a high-level Committee on State Policing to develop a workable framework for decentralised policing across the country.
Disu described the initiative as a significant step toward strengthening Nigeria’s internal security architecture and deepening community-based policing, stressing that the nation’s evolving security challenges demand innovative thinking, strategic collaboration and bold reforms.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, the IGP said the task before the committee was “both significant and timely,” noting that Nigeria must explore practical strategies to make policing more responsive to local realities and community needs.
The committee is chaired by Professor Olu Ogunsakin, while Commissioner of Police Bode Ojajuni will serve as Secretary.
Other members include: CP Okebuchi Ogora, CP Suleiman Guma, CP Okechukwu Okagor, CSP Tolulope Ipimiso and CP Emmanuel Ojukwu (Rtd)
According to the police chief, the committee has been tasked with developing a comprehensive framework that will enable state policing to operate effectively without undermining Nigeria’s national security structure.
Disu said the committee will:
- Review policing models within and outside Nigeria
- Assess security needs in communities across the country
- Identify potential risks associated with decentralised policing
- Propose an operational structure for the establishment and coordination of state police systems
The panel will also examine key issues such as recruitment procedures, training standards, funding structures, resource allocation and oversight mechanisms required to sustain professionalism and public confidence in the policing system.
Disu noted that if properly designed and implemented, state policing could bring law enforcement closer to communities, enhance local intelligence gathering and ensure quicker responses to emerging threats.
He explained that decentralising certain policing responsibilities would enable state governments and local authorities to address security challenges within their jurisdictions more effectively, while the federal government focuses on broader national security priorities.
The IGP reassured officers and personnel of the Nigeria Police Force that the proposed framework will not weaken the role of the federal police.
“The Nigeria Police Force will continue to play its constitutional role as the primary national law enforcement institution responsible for maintaining internal security across the federation,” he said.
Disu added that the reform would instead allow the federal police to concentrate on complex and transnational crimes such as terrorism, organised crime, cybercrime, trafficking networks and other threats requiring national coordination.
“The vision we seek is one of synergy, not competition; partnership, not duplication,” the police chief said.
Disu urged members of the committee to carry out their assignment with diligence, professionalism and patriotism, noting that Nigerians are eager to see meaningful reforms in the country’s security architecture.
He emphasised that the committee’s recommendations would play a pivotal role in shaping the future of policing in Nigeria, before formally declaring the Committee on State Policing inaugurated.
