Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has outlined plans to incorporate a proposed state police into the state’s existing security framework to address rising crime and enhance coordination among law enforcement agencies.
Speaking on Monday during a TVC interview, the governor reiterated his support for the creation of state police, describing it as a crucial step toward building a more efficient and responsive security system.
Sanwo-Olu explained that with state police, Lagos could integrate all security operations into its current command and control centres.
“If we have state police, I, as the Chief Executive, will be able to integrate the entire structure into our command and control systems,” he said.
He also noted that President Bola Tinubu has expressed strong backing for the initiative and is committed to advancing a state policing system across Nigeria.
“The President has assured that he will do everything possible to see the country transition toward state police,” Sanwo-Olu added.
The governor further revealed that Lagos currently has over 7,500 neighbourhood watch personnel and could expand this number significantly if state police become operational.
“I have more than 7,500 neighbourhood watch members. We could increase that to 10,000 or even 12,000 very quickly,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu also highlighted plans to harmonise intelligence and surveillance resources across various agencies, including the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), to enable seamless information sharing.
“The information from LASTMA cameras
, LASEMA data, and state police operations will all be shared collectively, creating a fully integrated security system,” he explained.
His remarks come shortly after President Tinubu called on governors and APC leaders to support the establishment of state police and to implement local government autonomy. The President made the appeal at the 14th APC National Caucus meeting in Abuja, urging compliance with the Supreme Court ruling granting financial independence to local governments and emphasizing that governance reforms should align with the party’s political control.
