Kogi backs Tinubu’s push for state police, describes move as bold security shift

By Ezurike Ugochukwu 

The Kogi State Government has described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to establishing State Police as a generational reform capable of fundamentally transforming Nigeria’s security architecture.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, the government commended the President for reaffirming his administration’s resolve to decentralise policing during a high-level meeting with governors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

According to the statement, President Tinubu emphasized that the creation of State Police has become imperative in addressing Nigeria’s evolving security challenges. He reportedly noted that decentralised law enforcement would strengthen community-based responses, improve intelligence gathering, and enhance internal security nationwide.

The Kogi State Government observed that the President’s position aligns with ongoing deliberations at the National Assembly of Nigeria on the constitutional and legislative frameworks required to actualise State Police. It described the move as bold, strategic, and crucial for long-term national stability.

Fanwo stated that the administration of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo fully supports the President’s vision and remains committed to reforms aimed at bringing security governance closer to the grassroots. He described the State Police initiative as a decisive intervention capable of significantly dismantling insecurity across the country.

The Commissioner also praised President Tinubu’s ongoing economic and financial sector reforms, noting that decentralising policing represents a natural progression in the administration’s broader national renewal agenda.

“As a government, we fully align with Mr. President’s position and assure him, as well as the leadership of the National Assembly, of our readiness to cooperate with all relevant authorities to make State Police a reality,” the statement read.

The Kogi State Government maintained that sustained collaboration between federal and state authorities would not only address immediate security threats but also lay a solid foundation for enduring peace, stability, and sustainable development across Nigeria.