By Abdullahi InuwaÂ
The Northern States Governors’ Forum has thrown its weight behind the creation of state police, calling it a strategic solution to combat rising insecurity across the region.
The resolution was reached during the Forum’s meeting held in Kaduna, chaired by Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya. The session brought together governors from Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Katsina, and several neighboring states, including top traditional rulers like the Sultan of Sokoto, Emir of Zazzau, and Etsu Nupe.
Speaking after the meeting, Katsina State Governor and Chairman of the Northwest Governors’ Forum, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, hailed the decision as a “milestone in restoring peace and trust in local communities.”
“The current security architecture needs urgent reform. State policing will bring security closer to the people and enable tailored responses to local threats,” Radda stated.
The Forum emphasized that the state police initiative, if properly structured and regulated, would enhance community policing, improve intelligence gathering, and reduce response times to threats.
This development signals a strong regional push for constitutional and legislative backing to decentralize Nigeria’s security apparatus—a move long debated but never fully implemented.
With mounting pressure to secure lives and property, Northern leaders say the time to act is now.
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