The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has disclosed that the police committee that developed the framework for the proposed state police system studied policing models in India, the United States and Pakistan before submitting its recommendations.
Speaking at a workshop on state police in Abuja on Thursday, Disu said the committee carried out extensive comparative analysis of countries operating state policing systems to guide the development of a workable framework for Nigeria.
According to a video of the event posted on X, the police chief said the workshop was organised to educate senior officers on the proposed state police structure and address concerns surrounding its implementation.
He said, “We are going to deliberate on a very important topic of state police. This is a very important topic ravaging the country today and in other parts of the world.
“The most important thing is we are leading hundreds of officers who must be told about state police, who must be educated about state police to alleviate their fears, because there are fears everywhere. It is our duty to educate them and let them know what state police is all about.”
The IG said the Federal Government had resolved to establish state police, stressing that the Nigeria Police Force had a responsibility to support the process.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria has made up its mind to have state police, and it is our duty to assist them to achieve it. This is not the issue of us only. This is the issue of the Federal Government of Nigeria and the people of Nigeria,” he said.
He urged participants to critically examine the proposed framework and contribute ideas that would strengthen it.
Recalling the committee’s work, the IG said there were initial disagreements over whether the police should develop its own framework because some believed the decision on state police had already been taken.
“And I’ll go back to when we were about to start. Argument arose that decisions had been taken and we should just sit down and be complacent and not do anything about it. I’m happy we quickly agreed to set up a committee,” he said.
According to him, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum had already established its own committee and concluded its assignment before the police committee commenced work.
“The governors have already set up their committee. They have already almost concluded. In fact, they have concluded. We started late. We caught up with them, and I’m happy to say our work is what they are deliberating on today,” he stated.
The IG revealed that the police committee completed the initial framework within 17 days.
“I think it took us 17 days only to come up with a framework that has become the genesis of what everybody is working on today, and we still need to put some finishing touches to it,” he said.
He also disclosed that former Inspectors-General of Police had reviewed the document and offered recommendations to improve it.
“Retired Inspectors-General of Police have visited me and they have shown their concern, and we have deliberated. They have put in their contributions into this as well,” he said.
Highlighting the research that informed the proposal, the police chief said the committee examined state policing systems in other countries before drafting Nigeria’s framework.
“A lot of comparative analysis has been done. We have taken time to study nations where they have state police, India, America and even Pakistan and how things work there,” he said.
He urged participants to treat the workshop with seriousness and make meaningful contributions to the ongoing efforts to develop a state policing framework for the country.
The push for state police has gained momentum following concerns over rising insecurity and increasing calls for decentralised policing.