By Charles Pemu 
Abuja, Nigeria — President Bola Tinubu has declared that the creation of state police is “unavoidable” in the quest to strengthen security across Nigeria. The statement, a major shift in policy, has been met with a mix of support and criticism from key stakeholders.
The President’s declaration came as the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) urged him to declare a state of emergency in the North, citing protracted insecurity that has devastated the region’s socio-economic life.
Speaking during a courtesy visit from a delegation of prominent Katsina indigenes, President Tinubu stressed his administration is committed to tackling insecurity head-on. He revealed plans to deploy advanced military equipment and surveillance technology, including additional drones.
“The security challenges that we are facing are surmountable,” Tinubu said. “I have directed all the security agencies to energize further and look at the strategies… I am reviewing all the aspects of security; I have to create state police. We are looking at that holistically.”
He added that the government would also enhance the capacity of newly-recruited forest guards in Katsina and that he would receive daily security updates on the state.
Stakeholders React to State Police Plan
The President’s announcement has been widely welcomed by several socio-political and cultural groups that have long advocated for state policing.
- The Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, called the move “long overdue.” Its Chairman, Oba Olu Falae, told the media that policing is a local matter and that effective security requires a decentralized approach.
- The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), through its National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Baba, said the group is looking forward to seeing how the policy would work.
- The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) National President, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, described it as a “step in the right direction,” noting that true federalism requires a security structure that covers all levels of governance.
However, not everyone agrees. Retired General Ijioma Nwokoro Ijioma expressed strong disagreement, warning that governors would simply use state police as a “tool to oppress perceived political enemies.” He insisted that the existing federal police system could be effective if allowed to function properly.
Calls for Drastic Action in the North
Meanwhile, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has made a separate, urgent appeal to President Tinubu. In a communique, the group called for a state of emergency in the North to address what it called the “extraordinary scale of the crisis.”
NEF spokesman Professor Abubakar Jiddere warned that inaction could lead to anarchy and urged the President to deploy adequately equipped forces, provide compensation to victims, and strengthen border control to stem cross-border incursions by criminal groups.
Adding to the regional concerns, the president of Mzough U Tiv UK (MUTUK), Victor Aleva, criticized the government’s response to the deadly herdsmen attack in Benue State in June. Aleva said nothing had changed in the Yelewata community since President Tinubu’s visit and described police reports of arrests as a “lie.”
In a related development, Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) appealed to the public and media to stop profiling victims of Boko Haram attacks by faith. The Senator emphasized that the terrorists are “blind to faith” and target both Christians and Muslims.
Ndume, a former chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, said such profiling is “unethical and unconscionable” and could “dampen the morale of men who toil day and night” to defeat the insurgents.
At a regional conference in Abuja, Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar stressed that nations must link security with good governance to effectively combat terrorism. He noted that poverty, unemployment, and exclusion provide fertile ground for extremism.
“Military force is necessary but not sufficient,” Abubakar said, urging member states to strengthen community resilience, invest in education, and ensure good governance to win the hearts and minds of the populace.