Saturday, September 13, 2025 -The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) says President Bola Tinubu’s support for state police marks a bold step towards reengineering Nigeria’s internal security framework.
In
a statement signed by Chairman Emeka Nwankpa and Secretary Dapo Okubanjo, the
group said the move aligns with the President’s long-standing stance on
decentralised policing.
“We
are aware that the first attempt in recent years to create a legal framework
for the establishment of state police was in 2018 when the then Deputy Senate
President, Ike Ekweremadu, sponsored the bill.”
“Even
though Ekweremadu was the Chairman of the National Assembly’s Constitution
Review Committee, the move failed. He also made another effort in 2020, but it
did not see the light of day.”
TMSG noted that the momentum now appears different, with Tinubu’s public endorsement coming as both chambers of the National Assembly work on a bill for state police.
“We
see the President’s position as a clear message to federal lawmakers who are
due to resume plenary in a few weeks to speed up the process of presenting a
bill that will amend section 214 of the 1999 constitution which exclusively
provides for a federal policing system.”
“It
is also a reflection of President Tinubu’s long-standing advocacy for state
police as a panacea to insecurity in the country as well as addressing local
policing needs.”
“We
acknowledge that this is the first time a sitting President would publicly
declare his backing for state police.”
TMSG
highlighted how past leaders only voiced support after leaving office, unlike
Tinubu who is pushing the reform during his tenure.
“It
was after former President Goodluck Jonathan left office that he began his
advocacy for a decentralised policing system, while former Muhammadu Buhari
famously declared in a rare TV interview in 2022 that state police was not an
option to address the country’s security challenges.”
“Former
President Buhari’s opposition was based on the same fears that many Nigerians
had expressed about the overbearing influence of state governments and the
possibility of abuse.”
The
group expressed confidence that Tinubu will implement mechanisms to prevent
abuse or politicisation of state police by governors.
“There
are already indications that the federal government may be working on
safeguards against possible misuse of state police by putting the process under
the control of a central body to ensure a unified standard.”
“So
it is not likely that the state police that the President envisages will be one
that will be exclusively under the control of governors.”
“This
is why the President was emphatic that while political concerns will always
surface around the issue, they must not be allowed to derail urgent security
reforms.”
The
group believes that the state police option would meet its objectives, ending
up as one of the far-reaching legacies of the Bola Tinubu administration.
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