Tunji Disu : State police has come to stay

By Folarin Adeyemi Aluko

The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has stated that the Nigeria Police Force is prepared to contribute meaningfully to the proposed establishment of state police in Nigeria, describing the initiative as a partnership opportunity rather than a threat to national security institutions.

Disu made the remarks shortly after being sworn in as the 23rd Inspector-General of Police in Abuja on Wednesday. He emphasised that the concept of state police “has come to stay” in Nigeria’s security conversation and should be viewed as a cooperative framework between federal and state security structures.

According to the police chief, the force is not opposed to decentralised policing but is committed to ensuring that the system is designed and implemented in a manner that strengthens national security, operational efficiency, and public safety.

“We don’t want it to seem as if others are taking decisions and we, the most important people concerned, did not do anything,” Disu said. “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.”

As part of preparations for the possible decentralisation of policing structures, Disu announced the inauguration of a technical committee tasked with examining operational frameworks for state police implementation. The committee will be chaired by security policy expert Olu Ogunsakin and is expected to recommend standards for coordination, command structure, recruitment guidelines, and inter-agency cooperation.

The proposal for state police has been a key component of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s security reform agenda. The administration has argued that decentralised policing could help address rising insecurity across different regions of the country.

In recent policy moves, President Tinubu requested that the National Assembly amend provisions of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria to provide a legal foundation for the creation of state-controlled policing structures.

Following the presidential proposal, lawmakers in the National Assembly of Nigeria have begun reviewing constitutional provisions to accommodate the establishment of a decentralised police system.

Proponents of state police argue that localised security forces may respond faster to community threats and improve intelligence gathering, particularly in regions experiencing persistent insecurity.

However, critics have expressed concerns over potential abuse of power by state authorities and the risk of politicising law enforcement agencies.

Security analysts believe the success of the proposed system will depend largely on clear operational boundaries, strong oversight mechanisms, and cooperation between federal and state authorities.

As constitutional amendment processes continue, the debate over Nigeria’s policing structure remains one of the country’s most significant security policy discussions.