IGP Disu's State Police Blueprint: Federal Force Poised for Seismic Shift

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has unequivocally declared its readiness to support the implementation of state police, if approved, emphasizing that professionalism, accountability, and operational excellence will remain paramount to any new policing framework. This commitment is underpinned by a proactive stance to prepare its personnel for emerging reforms and strengthen operational efficiency while sustaining public confidence in policing.

A critical component of this preparedness involves sensitisation workshops, aimed at equipping police officers with the necessary knowledge and capacity to constructively participate in discussions on state policing and effectively adapt to future reforms. The then Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, declared open an early workshop organized by the Nigeria Institute of Police Studies (NIPS), encouraging participants to disseminate the knowledge gained across their commands.

Further advancing this initiative, the current Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has affirmed that the Federal Government, led by President Bola Tinubu, is resolute in establishing the new policing structure. IGP Disu has called upon officers to embrace this proposed reform, describing it as one of Nigeria's most significant security reforms with implications extending beyond national borders. He stressed the immediate responsibility of police leadership to ensure officers fully comprehend the concept and objectives of state policing, addressing fears and educating them thoroughly.

Under IGP Disu's leadership, the NPF established its own Steering Committee on State Police to contribute meaningfully to the national conversation. This committee diligently worked to develop a comprehensive framework for the proposed state police system. Notably, a significant amount of comparative analysis was undertaken, involving in-depth studies of policing systems in other federal countries such as India, the United States of America, and Pakistan, to inform Nigeria's approach.

Despite starting later than the Nigeria Governors' Forum, which had already established and progressed with its own committee, the NPF committee demonstrated remarkable speed, completing its framework within just 17 days. This framework has since become central to the ongoing national deliberations. IGP Disu disclosed that even retired Inspectors-General of Police have engaged with him, offering their valuable recommendations to strengthen the proposed framework, which he considers a work in progress still requiring finishing touches and expert input.

The ongoing sensitisation workshops serve as timely platforms for critical reflection on this crucial security policy debate. IGP Disu has consistently urged police personnel to take an active role in shaping the national conversation through informed engagement, objective analysis, and public enlightenment, ensuring all important details are addressed in the final framework.