President Bola Tinubu has declared the creation of state police in Nigeria as an "unavoidable" and "inevitable" measure to effectively combat the escalating wave of insecurity across the nation, particularly in the North-West and states like Katsina. Speaking on separate occasions, including a visit by a delegation of prominent Katsina indigenes led by Governor Dikko Radda, and a legislative dialogue on constitutional review, Tinubu emphasized the critical need for a decentralized security architecture to address the country's deepening security challenges.

Tinubu acknowledged that his government inherited "weaknesses" in Nigeria's security framework, which he is committed to fixing. He highlighted the porous borders and previous oversight as contributing factors to the current challenges. To bolster security, especially in banditry-plagued Katsina, the President has directed the deployment of advanced military hardware, surveillance drones, and additional forest guards. He also mandated daily operational feedback from Katsina to reach his desk, asserting that the federal government would no longer tolerate criminals terrorizing communities.

The President articulated a comprehensive rationale for the establishment of state police. He argued that the current centralized security system is inadequate to address modern threats such as terrorism, cybercrime, farmer-herder conflicts, piracy, and separatist agitations. He described Nigeria's 1999 Constitution as foundational but "outdated" in its capacity to deal with these evolving security complexities, noting that the pace of change has outstripped some constitutional provisions. Tinubu stressed that peculiar local conditions demand security outfits that possess an intimate understanding of both the terrain and the culture of the people they serve, ensuring more accountable and community-based policing.

During a legislative dialogue on constitutional review, President Tinubu, represented by Minister of Defence Mohammed Abubakar Badaru, called for an urgent overhaul of Nigeria’s security framework. He specifically advocated for bold constitutional amendments to move policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List, thereby enabling states with the necessary capacity and political will to establish their own police forces while preserving federal coordination and oversight. He underscored that the debate over state police is "no longer theoretical" but stems from the daily fears and anxieties of Nigerians.

Despite the apparent necessity, Tinubu also pointed out that politicians have been frustrating the state police proposal. The federal government had established a committee in February 2024 to explore modalities for its creation, and while Tinubu and state governors had reportedly agreed on a framework, Vice-President Kashim Shettima disclosed in March that 20 states had yet to submit their reports on the plan, despite unanimous support in principle.

During the meeting with the Katsina delegation, President Tinubu also paid tribute to former President Muhammadu Buhari, assuring the delegation that his legacy would be preserved. Governor Radda, along with former governor Aminu Masari and elder statesman Ibrahim Ida, commended Tinubu for his support and leadership, appealing for continued focus on security in southern Katsina, upgrades to the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport, and more youth empowerment initiatives. The delegation also acknowledged Tinubu's progress on major infrastructure projects, including the Kano-Maradi rail line. The call for state police has also garnered support from Northern Governors, who have demanded an immediate review of security strategies.