By Ikechukwu Samuel
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, has disclosed that a technical committee charged with designing a framework for Nigeria’s proposed state police system conducted in-depth studies of sub-national policing models in India, the United States, and Pakistan before submitting its final recommendations.
Speaking on Thursday at a one-day workshop hosted by the National Institute of Police Studies at the Nigeria Police Resource Centre in Abuja, IGP Disu explained that the committee performed rigorous comparative analysis.
The objective was to adapt proven international practices into a tailored internal security architecture capable of tackling Nigeria’s unique security challenges.
The police chief issued a strong charge to all members of the Nigeria Police Force, urging them to step forward and take an active role in shaping the ongoing national dialogue surrounding decentralised policing. He emphasized that serving officers must rely on informed engagement, objective analysis, and proactive public enlightenment to guide the conversation constructively.
Characterizing the Abuja gathering as a strategic platform for critical reflection, Disu noted that the debate over state policing represents one of the most consequential security policy discussions in the nation’s recent history.
He stressed that officers at all levels must remain thoroughly versed in the details of the proposed reforms as national consensus continues to build across the country.
“As discussions on the creation of State Police continue to gain momentum across the country, members of the Nigeria Police Force must remain well-informed and contribute constructively to the ongoing discourse,” Disu told participants.
He added that the workshop provided a unique opportunity for personnel to examine operational implications, raise critical questions, and address legitimate institutional anxieties.
Elaborating on the background research that informed the proposal, the IGP highlighted that studying diverse models like the U.S. federal-state setup, India’s state-managed forces, and Pakistan’s decentralized structures yielded valuable insights. This global comparative approach was intentionally designed to help Nigeria avoid operational missteps and build a seamless multi-tiered policing system.
In addition to federal-level preparations, IGP Disu revealed significant progress at the state level, confirming that state governors have completed their respective committee reviews on the decentralized policing template.
He assured stakeholders that these state-level findings would be integrated with federal operational inputs to finalize a cohesive national blueprint.
Concluding his address, the police chief urged workshop delegates to take the insights gained back to their respective zonal commands and state formations.
By spreading accurate information across ranks, he noted, the Force can dispel widespread misconceptions, calm internal apprehensions, and ensure a seamless transition toward modern, reform-minded policing in Nigeria.
