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Not fewer than sixteen out of the 36 state governors have submitted reports demanding the commissioning of state police by the National Economic Council in the country.
This follows the spate of insecurities nationwide.
The Governors also underscored the need for the adoption of the same in the constitution.
The reports were amongst documentation received at the 140th NEC meeting presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
Special Adviser to the Vice President on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed titled, ‘NEC endorses take-off of $617M i-DICE programme across states.’
According to the statement, NEC is still awaiting reports from 20 states. It expressed confidence that others would support it.
Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, when he briefed State House Correspondents after a meeting between Tinubu and the 36 state governors said, the president as well as the governors is in talks to establish state police to help curtail the menace of insecurity.
He said, “The Federal Government and the state governments are mulling the possibility of setting up state police.”
“More work needs to be done in that direction. A lot of meetings will have to happen between the federal government and sub-nationals to see the modalities of achieving this,” Idris noted.
Meanwhile, the Presidency has said although President Bola Tinubu has given his nod for the creation of state police outfits and forest guards, Governors would ultimately determine the success of both moves.
