State Police: NEC gives states deadline to make submissions

Reports indicate that the National Economic Council (NEC) has given all states until September 9, 2024, to make their positions known on the establishment of State Police. NEC gave the deadline on Wednesday at its meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Briefing State House Correspondents shortly after the meeting held at the Council Chamber of the State House Abuja, the Acting Governor of Oyo State, Bayo Lawal, said out of the 36 states, 4 states were yet to make submissions to NEC on their stands.

According to Lawal, NEC directed that the four states must make their stance on the issue known by Monday. While the four states were not mentioned during the briefing, NEC insisted that after Monday, any stated which failed to make submission would have no option than to accept whatever decision is reached eventually.

The last few years have been dominated with talks about state police, with some leaders, including governors and regional socio-political groups like Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndigbo, saying it would curb the menacing trend of kidnapping, banditry, and sundry crimes.

The calls for the creation of state police prompted President Bola Tinubu and governors of the 36 states to reach an agreement in mid-February 2024. They agreed on state police as a method to curb the escalating security challenges in the country.

A month after the agreement, 16 governors submitted their reports to the National Economic Council (NEC), expressing their support for the creation of state police and the amendment of the 1999 Constitution to allow for the same.

Since then, more states have also submitted their positions on the issue, leaving out only four states yet to make their own submissions. Though a lot of people and groups have called for the creation of state police, the proposal has faced some criticisms from some quarters. Some persons believe that funding could be a challenge for state police as some governors would demand an upward review of monthly allocations to their states.