The push to institutionalise state policing is expected to dominate discussions at the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting today, with Vice President, Kashim Shettima presiding.
Naijaonpoint reports that the meeting, which commenced around 11:30 a.m. at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja, opened with prayers led by Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, before participants moved into a closed-door session.
This NEC sitting is the first since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu renewed his call for decentralised policing, insisting it is central to addressing Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.
NEC, a constitutional advisory body chaired by the Vice President, consists of the 36 state governors, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, and key ministers. Though primarily charged with economic coordination, its agenda often extends to broader governance matters, including security.
Recently, while receiving a delegation of eminent citizens from Katsina State, President Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to security sector reform.
“I am reviewing all the aspects of security; I have to create a state police,” the President said at the State House, sparking fresh debate on the long-contested issue.
There had been views that state policing would ensure faster response to local security challenges, reduce pressure on federal forces, and improve intelligence gathering. However, critics caution that state governors could abuse such powers, turning them into tools of political intimidation.
Past constitutional amendment attempts to grant states policing authority have repeatedly stalled despite escalating violence, kidnappings, and insurgencies.