Despite mounting pressure and a rising death toll from violent attacks across Nigeria, the National Economic Council (NEC) has, for the third time, postponed critical discussions on the establishment of state police.
Chaired by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Thursday’s NEC meeting at the State House in Abuja brought together a high-powered gathering of state governors, including Rivers State’s sole administrator Ibok-Ete Ibas, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, and CBN Governor Yemi Cardoso.
Although state police reform was formally included on the agenda, the meeting ran out of time following an avalanche of detailed presentations. Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa, who briefed journalists after the session, confirmed the delay but assured Nigerians that the issue remains a priority.
“State police was indeed slated for today’s discussions,” Diri said. “However, due to the sheer volume of deliberations and the extensive time taken by earlier briefings, we couldn’t reach that segment of the agenda. Nonetheless, I can categorically state that the matter will receive full attention at our next meeting.”
The postponement marks the third time NEC has deferred action on the long-debated security overhaul since November 2024, when all 36 states submitted their individual positions—most signaling strong support for the creation of decentralized police forces to combat localized threats.
Originally moved from November to January to allow deeper stakeholder engagement, the decision was again derailed by an emergency governors’ summit. Hopes that April’s gathering would finally break the deadlock were dashed once more—this time by time constraints.
Even so, NEC emphasized that the council remains firmly committed to crafting a sustainable, well-researched framework that can endure the country’s complex security landscape. “The council is fully aware of the urgency and gravity of the nation’s security situation,” Diri said, “and we’re committed to getting it right, not just fast.”
In a poignant moment during the meeting, NEC members observed a minute of silence in honor of over 100 Nigerians who lost their lives in recent attacks across Plateau, Benue, Zamfara, and Kwara states. The gesture, Governor Diri explained, was one of collective mourning and national solidarity.
State Police: A Legislative Lifeline in the Works
Meanwhile, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele offered a glimmer of progress from the legislative arm, revealing that the National Assembly is actively developing the legal architecture to support the emergence of state police.
“As the National Assembly works on the legal framework for establishing state police, we urge all security agencies to operate in unity, and bring to justice those behind these heinous attacks,” Bamidele stated.
As the cries for decentralized security grow louder with each senseless killing, the continued delays raise tough questions about political will and bureaucratic inertia. With each postponed discussion, the urgency only deepens. For now, Nigeria waits—with hope, with grief, and with eyes fixed on the next NEC meeting.
