By Our Reporter
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has formally inaugurated a high-level Committee on State Policing to develop a workable framework for decentralised policing across the country, in fulfilment of the Federal Government’s push to reform Nigeria’s security system.
Inaugurating the committee on Wednesday in Abuja, Disu said the panel had one month to submit its report.
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, he said the task before the committee, headed by Prof. Olu Ogunsakin, while Commissioner of Police Bode Ojajuni will serve as Secretary, was "both significant and timely," noting that Nigeria must explore practical strategies to make policing more responsive to local realities and community needs.
Other members include CP Okebuchi Ogora, CP Suleiman Guma, CP Okechukwu Okagor, CSP Tolulope Ipimiso and CP Emmanuel Ojukwu (Rtd).
According to Disu, 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.
The police chief said the committee is expected to Review policing models within and outside Nigeria, Assess security needs in communities across the country, Identify potential risks associated with decentralised policing and Propose an operational structure for the establishment and coordination of State Police systems
Disu added that the committee 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.
He 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.
Speaking further, the IGP explained that decentralising certain policing responsibilities would enable state governments and local authorities address security challenges within their jurisdictions more effectively, while the Federal Government focuses on broader national security priorities.
Disu, however, reassured officers and personnel of the Nigeria Police Force that the proposed framework would 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.
The IGP 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," he assured.
Disu urged members of the committee to carry out their assignment with diligence, professionalism and patriotism, noting that Nigerians were eager to see meaningful reforms in the nation’s security architecture.
The police chief emphasised that the committee’s recommendations would play a pivotal role in shaping the future of policing in Nigeria.
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