The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu Rilwan, has inaugurated a steering committee on the establishment of state police, charging members to develop a comprehensive framework that will strengthen Nigeria’s internal security architecture without undermining national cohesion.
Members of the committee are: Chairman, Professor Olu Ogunsakin;
Secretary, Commissioner of Police Bode Ojajuni;
Deputy Commissioner of Police Okeybushi Ogora;
Deputy Commissioner of Police Sulaiman Goma;
Assistant Commissioner of Police Okeychukwu Okafor;
Chief Superintendent of Police Tolulope Ipinmiso, and
Retired Commissioner of Police Emmanuel Ojukwu.
Speaking on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at the inauguration ceremony during a conference with strategic Police Managers, the IGP described the assignment as “significant and timely,” noting that evolving security challenges across the country demand innovative reforms and strategic collaboration.
He said, “It is my greatest privilege to formally inaugurate this committee on state policing. The task before this committee is both significant and timely as we respond to the growing need to strengthen Nigeria’s internal security and ensure that policing remains responsive to the realities within our communities.”
The committee has been given four weeks to submit its report.
Disu said the panel’s work would help shape the operational framework for state policing in a manner that strengthens, rather than fragments, Nigeria’s national security system.
He urged members to be guided by professionalism, objectivity, and a clear understanding of the complexities of policing in a diverse nation.
According to him, the committee is expected to review existing policing models within and outside Nigeria, assess community security needs and emerging risks, and propose an operational framework for the establishment and coordination of state police structures.
It will also address issues relating to recruitment, training standards, and resource allocation, as well as develop robust accountability and oversight mechanisms to ensure professionalism and public trust.
The IGP noted that if properly designed and effectively implemented, state policing holds significant potential benefits for the country.
He said decentralising certain policing responsibilities could deepen local knowledge of security dynamics and enable quicker, more targeted responses to emerging threats.
“State governments and local authorities will be better positioned to respond to specific security challenges within their jurisdictions, while the Federal Government continues to focus on broader national security priorities,” he said.
He assured officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) that their constitutional roles and professional relevance within the nation’s security architecture remain intact.
The federal police, he added, would continue to concentrate on complex and transnational crimes such as terrorism, organised crime, cybercrime and trafficking networks that require national coordination and specialised capacity.
Addressing concerns in some quarters about the potential abuse of state police by governors, Disu said the committee would develop safeguards and oversight mechanisms to prevent misuse and ensure accountability.
“I urge you to approach your assignment with diligence, intellectual rigour and a deep sense of patriotism. The expectations of Nigerians are high, and the outcome of your work will play a significant role in shaping the future of policing in our country,” he said.
With the committee now formally inaugurated, the nation awaits its recommendations on the proposed state police framework.
