36 State Governors meet over insecurity take far reaching decisions, back reforms

Governors renew push for state police, back power sector reforms

Governors of Nigeria’s 36 states have reaffirmed their support for the creation of state police, insisting that any framework for its establishment must be rooted in the Constitution and consistent with the principles of federalism and the protection of citizens’ rights.

The position was part of resolutions reached at the second meeting of the year of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), which held in Abuja and ended early Thursday.

In a communiqué issued after the meeting, NGF Chairman and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, said the governors reviewed ongoing efforts to advance the state police initiative and held consultations with state Attorneys-General on proposed constitutional amendments required to make it a reality.

According to the communiqué, the governors received a presentation from the NGF Secretariat and a delegation of Attorneys-General on the progress made toward establishing state police across the country.

“The Forum received a presentation from the NGF Secretariat and a delegation of the Attorneys-General of the states on efforts to support establishing State Police in Nigeria. It noted a dedicated consultation with the Attorneys-General to review the proposed constitutional amendments and frameworks,” the communiqué stated.

The governors stressed that any state policing arrangement must be carefully designed to fit within Nigeria’s constitutional framework.

“Governors emphasised the need for the State Police to be constitutionally sound and aligned with federalism and citizens’ rights. The Forum noted the collaborative effort and added that the consultation outcomes would strengthen the states’ collective position,” the communiqué added.

The renewed endorsement comes days after the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police. The proposal secured the backing of 289 lawmakers, with only one dissenting vote, while a similar bill also passed second reading in the Senate.

The governors had earlier, in April, endorsed the development of a state police framework by the NGF Secretariat ahead of anticipated constitutional changes. The framework outlines key requirements, including governance structures, funding mechanisms, personnel standards, digital infrastructure and oversight systems.

Beyond security, the governors also renewed their commitment to reforms in the electricity sector, pledging to work more closely with relevant stakeholders to improve access to reliable and affordable power nationwide.

The Forum said it received a presentation on the National Solar Super-Grid (NSSG) Initiative, a proposal aimed at expanding electricity access through large-scale decentralised solar energy generation linked to a national high-voltage transmission network.