The long-debated push for state policing may take centre stage today as Vice President Kashim Shettima chairs the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting at the State House, Abuja.
This session, which commenced around 11:30 a.m. with prayers led by Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, is the first NEC gathering since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to decentralising policing as part of efforts to address Nigeria’s deepening insecurity crisis.
Although primarily established to coordinate economic policies, the NEC—comprising the 36 state governors, the Central Bank Governor, and key federal ministers—often extends its agenda to wider governance issues, particularly national security.
President Tinubu recently underscored the urgency of security reforms during an engagement with a delegation of eminent Katsina State citizens at the Presidential Villa.
“I am reviewing all the aspects of security; I have to create a state police,” the president declared, signalling what many analysts believe could be a major policy shift.
With Vice President Shettima presiding, today’s meeting is expected to provide a crucial platform for governors and federal officials to deliberate on the prospects, framework, and challenges of institutionalising state police—a move long considered controversial yet increasingly seen as inevitable in the face of rising insecurity.
Edited by Aremu Toyeebaht
About the Author
