NEC sets deadline for State Police reports

September 05, 2024

By Adedoja Adesoji

The National Economic Council (NEC) has given five defaulting states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) until Monday, September 9, to submit their reports on the proposed creation of state police.

This directive was issued during yesterday’s meeting, where the council discussed the establishment of state police to address the rising insecurity across the country.

In February, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu endorsed the recommendation by Governors to create state police.

Consequently, all 36 states were required to submit their reports to the NEC for deliberation and further action.

Acting Oyo State Governor Bayo Lawal, who briefed the press after the meeting, stated that failure to submit reports by the deadline would result in the affected states being bound by the council’s decisions. The defaulting states include Adamawa, Sokoto, Kwara, Kebbi, and the FCT.

He said: “An update on the establishment of State police was considered and this was as a result of the security situation challenges that we have across the nation.

“So that we would have a robust security in our nation, for that purpose sometimes last year NEC considered the establishment of state police and asked states to make submissions of considerations.

“Today all the states were supposed to submit for consideration of the NEC. Incidentally, four states couldn’t submit for that purpose. NEC decided that those states must make their submissions on or before Monday, 9th of September, otherwise whatever decision NEC takes on the establishment of state police is binding on those states that refused to make submissions.”

Lawal emphasized that the establishment of state police is crucial for robust national security, and the NEC’s decision on the matter will be binding on all states, regardless of their submission status.