IGP Inaugurates State Policing Committee With Marching Orders

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has inaugurated a State Policing Committee, handing the committee a 4-week marching order.

The marching order is that the committee would develop a workable framework for the operation of state policing in Nigeria without undermining the national security structure

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Abuja, Disu described the move as a critical step toward strengthening Nigeria’s internal security architecture and enhancing community-based law enforcement.

He stated that Nigeria’s evolving security challenges demand innovative thinking, strategic collaboration and bold reforms, adding:

“Nigeria’s evolving security challenges require innovative thinking, strategic collaboration and bold reforms to make policing more responsive to local realities,” he said.

The IGP explained that members of the state policing committee would do the following:

1. review existing policing models within and outside the country
2. assess community security needs
3. identify potential risks, and
4. propose an operational structure for the establishment and coordination of state police systems.

Disu said that the committee would address critical issues such as recruitment procedures, training standards, resource allocation, as well as accountability and oversight mechanisms to ensure professionalism and sustain public trust.

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“If properly designed and implemented, state policing could bring law enforcement closer to the people, enhance local knowledge of security dynamics, and enable quicker responses to emerging threats within communities,” Disu stated.

“The vision we seek is one of synergy, not competition; partnership, not duplication,” he said, urging members to carry out their assignment with diligence, professionalism and patriotism.

The state policing committee is chaired by Professor Olu Ogunsakin with the following as members:

1. CP Emmanuel Ojukwu (Rtd)
2. CP Bode Ojajuni
3. DCP Okebuchi Ogora
4. ACP Ikechukwu Okafor
5. CSP Tolulope Ipinmisho

Responding to concerns that state governors might hijack state police structures for political purposes, the IGP assured that such fears would be taken into consideration. He noted that Nigeria would draw from comparative studies of other countries operating state policing systems.

The Eagle Newsmedia reports that President Bola Tinubu had earlier today, formally sworn in Tunji Disu as the 23rd Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

The swearing-in ceremony was a brief ceremony formally installing Disu as the nation’s police chief.