Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has restated his support for the creation of state police, arguing that Nigeria’s security challenges require decentralised policing backed by technology and adequate welfare for personnel.
Speaking during a recent media engagement, Makinde said opposition to state police under former President Muhammadu Buhari was hinged on claims that state governors could not meet salary obligations, a position he insisted Oyo State had since disproved.
“We went to Buhari and said we want state police and he said he could not support it because the state governors have not been able to pay salaries as at when due. Why should I support you arming people and you will not be able to pay them?” Makinde said.
He noted that at the time of that conversation, he was only four months in office but had since instituted a predictable salary payment cycle in Oyo State.
“We have always paid salaries on the 26th of the month and this is the seventh month running. We also pay the 13th-month salary. So, we have gotten that template right in Oyo State,” he added.
Makinde recalled that following Buhari’s stance, South-West governors opted for the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun, as a middle ground between federal policing and the push for state police, to better secure communities in the region.
The governor also criticised the handling of community policing initiatives at the federal level, saying many supernumerary personnel recruited had reportedly not been paid.
He stressed that improving security would not merely be about recruiting more police officers and soldiers, but also about investing in technology, communications infrastructure and welfare.
“If we employ so many policemen and soldiers, that is not our problem. What do we have on ground in terms of technology, communication and looking after the welfare of people? It has to be a synergy between the federal, state and local government,” he said.
Makinde further disclosed that his administration had acquired two aircraft which, according to him, are expected to be deployed for security and other operations in the first quarter of 2026.
He also referenced a €55 million loan from France as part of a €100 million fund for the continent, linking it to ongoing development efforts in the state.
Reflecting on infrastructure, Makinde said it took two years to secure federal approval to fix the Oyo–Iseyin road despite its strategic importance for the state’s agricultural belt, insisting that states could “do better for Nigerians” with greater autonomy and cooperation across tiers of government.
Makinde concluded that sustainable security will require coordinated efforts across federal, state and local levels, alongside reliable funding and modern tools.
