President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged the National Assembly to amend existing laws to enable states that need it to establish their own police forces, as part of a broader push to tackle rising insecurity nationwide.
The appeal was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, in which the President declared a nationwide security emergency.
“I call on the National Assembly to begin reviewing our laws to allow states that require state police to establish them,” Tinubu said.
He added that his administration will continue supporting state governments that have already created security outfits to protect their communities from terrorists and criminal groups.
YTinubu also advised educational and religious institutions located in remote or high-risk areas to maintain strong security arrangements.
“States should reconsider setting up boarding schools in isolated areas without adequate protection. Mosques and churches should ensure regular police and security presence during prayer gatherings, especially in vulnerable locations,” he stated.
The push for state police is part of a larger security strategy that includes the recruitment of 20,000 additional police officers, the deployment of trained forest guards, and strengthened military operations in troubled regions.
The President approved an expansion of police recruitment from 30,000 to 50,000 officers and authorised the temporary use of NYSC camps as training centres. He also directed the Department of State Services to deploy forest guards to track and dislodge criminals hiding in forests, while recruiting more personnel for these operations.
Tinubu further emphasised that police officers recently withdrawn from VIP protection duties will receive accelerated training before being reassigned to critical security locations.
“My fellow Nigerians, this is a national emergency. We are responding by putting more boots on the ground, especially in areas facing security challenges. The times require all hands on deck,” he said, urging citizens to actively support national security efforts.
