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Nigeria's President Tinubu, Governors Explore State Police Creation Amid Rising Insecurity

Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, has been grappling with serious security problems for more than a decade, including banditry, crude oil theft, and terrorism, which remains the most difficult to combat. Militants are active not only in Nigeria but also in neighboring Chad, Niger, and Cameroon, adding to the complexity of the problem.
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Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, along with the 36 state governors, is contemplating the establishment of state police units as a measure to address the escalating security challenges across the nation, Nigeria's Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed on Thursday.
According to the official, discussions were underway regarding the potential implementation of state police forces to enhance security measures.
Minister Idris emphasized that the Federal Government and the state administrations were actively considering this proposal, marking a significant departure from past stances where the notion of state police had been staunchly opposed.
Highlighting the evolving discourse on this pivotal issue, Idris indicated that further deliberations were imminent to refine the plan and operational framework for the prospective state police initiative.
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He underscored the need for sustained dialogue and collaborative efforts between the different levels of government to actualize this strategic shift in security governance.
Reports surfaced earlier indicating that President Tinubu had convened a pivotal meeting with the governors representing all 36 states at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. This meeting, held ahead of the President's scheduled departure for the African Union gathering in Ethiopia, aimed to synchronize efforts and garner consensus on the imperative need for state-level policing structures.
President Tinubu is slated to attend the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa from February 17 to 18. Additionally, he will participate in an extraordinary summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS on the sidelines of the AU meetings in his capacity as the Chairperson of the regional organization.