The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has revealed that the framework for Nigeria’s proposed state police system was drawn from extensive studies of policing models in India, the United States, and Pakistan.
Speaking on Thursday at a senior officers’ workshop in Abuja, the IG explained that comparative research into international systems was crucial to developing a practical model for the nation.
“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.
The workshop was convened to brief top officers on the structure of the proposed system and ease anxieties surrounding its rollout.
“We are going to deliberate on a very important topic of state police… It is our duty to educate them and let them know what state police is all about.”
Disu stressed that the decision to decentralise policing was backed by the state, and the Nigeria Police Force was obligated to support the transition.
“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.”
Despite initial hesitation over whether the force should draft its own proposal after government directives were already set, a dedicated committee was formed. That panel delivered the foundational document in just 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.”
The police draft has since surpassed parallel efforts by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, becoming the baseline text for current inter-agency deliberations. Disu added that former Inspectors-General of Police have also reviewed the document and contributed strategic revisions.
The acceleration of the state police project comes amidst mounting nationwide security challenges and growing demands for localised, decentralised law enforcement.