A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Francis Oluyemi Aladejebi, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to invoke emergency powers to accelerate the creation of state police as a response to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.
Aladejebi said the security challenge in the country has persisted despite the efforts of the military, noting that the armed forces are overstretched by the scale of terrorism and banditry across the country. He argued that state police would complement federal security agencies and strengthen internal security at the grassroots.
According to him, delays in constitutional amendment processes pose a major obstacle to the establishment of state police. He therefore urged the President, His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency on insecurity and request the National Assembly to separate the state police amendment from other constitutional review bills for expedited consideration.
“If the bill is singled out, the National Assembly can pass it within weeks and transmit it to the state assemblies for concurrence,” he said.
The former lawmaker explained that once the legal framework is in place, state governments can set up State Police Commissions, recruit personnel and commence training within a few months. He expressed confidence that state police formations could be operational nationwide before the middle of 2026.
Aladejebi stressed that fast-tracking the creation of state police would significantly reduce insecurity and restore public confidence, adding that, “the essence of this appeal is to ensure urgent action that will save lives and support the military in safeguarding the country.”
