Forum urges Tinubu, NASS to reject calls for state police

The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has urged President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to reject ongoing calls for the creation of state police in Nigeria. The Forum, made up of APC stakeholders from the North-Central region, made its position known in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja by its Chairman, Alhaji […]

The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has urged President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to reject ongoing calls for the creation of state police in Nigeria.

The Forum, made up of APC stakeholders from the North-Central region, made its position known in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, who is also a member of the APC campaign council in the 2023 elections.

The intervention follows Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang’s recent call for the establishment of state police. Speaking at a special court session in Jos to mark the commencement of the 2025/2026 legal year, Mutfwang said the time had come for Nigeria to adopt state policing as part of efforts to tackle insecurity.

However, the North-Central APC Forum disagreed, arguing that the creation of state police could have unintended consequences for Nigeria’s security and governance.

 

According to the group, introducing state police might undermine national cohesion, create conflicts of interest between federal and state security agencies, and increase political interference in law enforcement.

 

“We believe that state police, rather than solving insecurity, may create new challenges in our democratic system,” the statement said. “There is a risk that it could be misused in ways that do not serve the collective interest of Nigerians.”

 

The Forum further noted that Nigeria’s diversity requires careful handling of security structures to avoid marginalization or misuse of power. It urged the federal government and lawmakers to focus instead on strengthening the existing federal police through reforms, better training, and improved welfare for officers.

The group concluded by calling on civil society organizations and stakeholders to join in opposing the proposal for state police, describing it as “a policy option that could prove counterproductive.”