The National Economic Council has again postponed discussions on creating state police, even as violent attacks and killings continue in several parts of the country.
Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State told reporters on Thursday that although state police was on the council’s agenda during its 149th meeting in Abuja, the topic was not discussed due to time constraints.
“State police was part of our agenda today, but unfortunately, because of time demands, and after a very long meeting, the presentations could not get to that point,” Diri said. “I assure you that in our next meeting, that issue will be fully discussed.”
NEC meetings are usually held monthly, but there have been delays. The last time the council discussed the issue was in December 2024, and since then, it has been postponed more than once.
Although all 36 states have submitted reports supporting the idea of a decentralised police system, the council has yet to take concrete steps. Meanwhile, killings in Plateau, Benue, Borno, and Enugu States have sparked public concern.
During the meeting, a minute of silence was observed for victims of these attacks.
In response to the growing insecurity, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) announced a new plan. According to Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, a committee has been set up to work with security agency leaders to develop a joint strategy.
Uzodinma said, “The forum received a presentation from the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, on an innovative security initiative to strengthen national and local capacity for early threat detection and response.”
The plan includes using advanced technology and better infrastructure to improve security across the country. Governors agreed to support this approach, describing it as necessary to face rising security threats.
Also speaking, Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, said state police is needed to address insecurity at the local level.
“In my opinion, it’s not an indictment of the governors. I do agree that we have a limited role to play due to the Constitution,” he said. “But I believe that creating state police will go a long way in fighting insecurity, especially in the states.”
Sani explained that although governors are not fully in charge of security, they still must take responsibility.
“When I came in, Kaduna had many religious and communal clashes. But in almost 20 months since I took over, we have not had any,” he noted.
He also raised concerns about the small number of security officers available to protect the country.
“We have less than 300,000 soldiers and less than 400,000 police officers in a country of 230 million people,” he said. “There are many ungoverned spaces in Nigeria. So, we must consider other ways to solve the problem, not just through force.”
The governors also discussed other issues at the NEC meeting. They received a presentation from the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, on land reforms aimed at increasing state revenue and improving housing.
They also looked into a proposed electricity partnership with Powercom Smart Grid Nigeria Limited to improve power supply and create jobs.
Despite these efforts, Nigerians are still calling for urgent action, especially as attacks and loss of lives continue in rural communities.
