The National Economic Council, NEC, has set a deadline of 9 September for Kwara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Adamawa, and the Federal Capital Territory to submit their reports on the proposed establishment of state police.
Acting Governor of Oyo State, Bayo Lawal, announced this decision on Wednesday following a NEC meeting chaired by Vice-President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Lawal emphasised the urgency of the situation. “Today, all the states were supposed to submit their reports for consideration of the NEC,” he said.
“Incidentally, four states couldn’t submit. NEC decided that those states must make their submissions on or before Monday, September 9. Otherwise, whatever decision NEC takes on the establishment of state police is binding on those states that refuse to make submissions.”
The deadline follows a previous announcement in February 2024 when President Bola Tinubu endorsed the creation of state police as a response to the country’s growing security challenges.
The NEC had received reports from 16 states by March 2024, with the remaining 20 governors expected to finalise their submissions within the next four weeks.
Asishana Okauru, Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, affirmed that the governors are broadly supportive of the state police initiative.
According to him, “The official position of the forum is in favour of state police. I don’t know of any state that is not in support of state police.”
“That the governors have not submitted their reports for now is not saying they are not in support of it (state police). There’s a very strong consensus in support of state police,” he added.
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