Governors Seek Enhanced Security Powers for State Police

During a recent meeting at the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) secretariat in Abuja, state governors expressed the need for greater constitutional recognition of their roles in coordinating security operations within their states. This meeting, attended by state attorneys general and senior security officials, aimed to harmonize proposals for constitutional amendments that would facilitate the establishment of state police.

The governors highlighted the urgent need for reform in response to escalating insecurity, including terrorism, banditry, and violent crime. A report from the meeting outlined a framework for decentralized policing, emphasizing the need for clear statutory jurisdiction between federal and state police forces.

The governors proposed that state police be empowered to prevent, investigate, and prosecute offenses under state laws. Additionally, they discussed mechanisms for transferring certain existing police assets to support state police and emphasized the importance of accountability and oversight in the proposed security structure.