In a swift move shortly after being formally sworn in as the 23rd indigenous IGP, Olatunji Rilwan Disu inaugurated an eight-member committee on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, to develop a framework for the establishment of state police in Nigeria. The committee is led by Professor Olu Ogunsakin, the Director-General of the National Institute for Police Studies, with CP Bode Ojajuni serving as secretary.
Other members of the steering group include DCP Okebechi Agora, DCP Suleyman Gulma, ACP Ikechukwu Okafor, CSP Tolulope Ipinmisho, and retired CP Emmanuel Ojukwu. During the inauguration at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, IGP Disu emphasized that the decentralization of policing is a strategic necessity to address evolving security challenges, clarifying that “State Policing is not intended to replace or diminish the Nigeria Police Force, but rather to function as a complementary structure within a coordinated national security framework.”
The inauguration follows the unanimous ratification of Disu’s appointment by the Nigeria Police Council on Monday and his subsequent swearing-in by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa. The IGP has tasked the committee with a one-month deadline to review existing global policing models and propose a workable operational framework that covers recruitment standards, resource allocation, and oversight mechanisms.
Disu noted that bringing law enforcement closer to the people through state police would significantly enhance local intelligence and rapid response capabilities at the grassroots level. “The task before this committee is both significant and timely as it speaks to our reflective demand to strengthen Nigeria’s security,” he remarked, assuring the public that the federal police would remain focused on broader national and transnational crimes like terrorism and cybercrime.
This initiative aligns with President Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, which has increasingly prioritized constitutional amendments to allow for state-led security structures as a solution to kidnapping and banditry.
Beyond the state police panel, the new IGP also announced a revitalized vision for the force, emphasizing that “leadership is not about position but responsibility,” and directing the empowerment of the Public Complaint Unit and X-Squad to operate independently.
As the committee begins its deliberations, the outcome is expected to play a critical role in shaping the future of Nigeria’s internal security architecture and its responsiveness to community-specific needs.
