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State Police: Egbetokun’s on His Own, Lagos Assembly Declares
The Lagos State House of Assembly has rejected the position maintained by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Olukayode Egbetokun that Nigeria is not ripe for the establishment of State Police.
Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, directed the Clerk of the House Olalekan Onafeko, to write the Inspector-General and the National Assembly stating that the State lawmakers reject Egbetokun’s position.
The IGP, represented at a recently held one-day dialogue on state policing, themed, ‘Pathways to Peace: Reimagining Policing in Nigeria,’ opposed the establishment of state police, arguing that it would increase ethnic tension and cause divided loyalty in states of the federation.
The IGP also suggested that the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps be merged with the police force.
However, speaking at plenary on Monday, Obasa, who noted that the FRSC and the NSCDC have not been able to solve the problems of accidents on roads and pipeline vandalism respectively, wondered how effective they would be if they are merged with the police force.
“In Lagos State, we have the Security Trust Fund through which successive administrations starting from that of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu have provided enormous support to the police command in Lagos State. Yet, crime of different dimensions has continued.
“This shows that no matter what Egbetokun has proffered as solution, such won’t solve our problem. The position of the IGP is unacceptable.
“We strongly believe that if we have State Police, we would be able to solve the issues of crime in our nation or reduce it to the minimum.
“As we have seen in other climes, the United Kingdom has different levels of policing just like the United States of America. So why should ours be different?
“The lives of our people are very important and we must do everything possible to make sure we protect lives and property. We want to state categorically that we believe in state police and we want to urge the National Assembly to continue with its intendment to establish state police through the process of constitutional amendment,” Obasa said while praising President Tinubu for his resolve to end insecurity in the country.
Commending the Speaker for his stand on the issue of state police, the lawmaker representing Badagry Constituency 1, argued that with its current structure, it would be difficult for the Nigeria Police Force to effectively secure the country.
Also declaring his support for State Police, another lawmaker, Hon. Sa’ad Olumoh (Ajeromi/Ifelodun 1), said each Nigerian state currently has a local security outfit in the semblance of state police.
“Today, which State does not have State Police one way or the other? This is a cause that should be supported. For the IG to come out and say state police is not in the interest of Nigeria shows he is not considering the reality of insecurity on Nigerians,” he said.
President Bola Tinubu has insisted on his earlier directive ordering the withdrawal of police officers from very important persons (VIPs) in the country.
On November 23, Tinubu ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers attached to VIPs across the country during a security meeting with the inspector-general of police (IGP), the chiefs of army and air staff, and the director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The president said the move was aimed at boosting police presence in communities, especially remote areas where stations are understaffed and citizens remain vulnerable to attacks.
The president ordered Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the minister of interior, to make arrangements for the replacement of police officers by civil defence corps.
“If you have any problem because of the nature of your assignments, please contact the IGP and get my clearance,” he said.
“The National Security and Civil Defence Corps are trained for VIP protection, and they are armed too.
“We face challenges here and there of kidnapping, banditry and terrorism. We need all forces utilised. I know some people are exposed; we will make the exceptions. The civil defence is very much around.”
Tinubu said there is a need to mobilise the police appropriately due to the country’s security challenges.
Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Announcing his defection on Tuesday evening, Fubara said the move is a reciprocity to the overwhelming support, which the State has received from President Bola Tinubu.
The defection ends months of speculation about whether the governor would join the APC, which many believed was part of a peace agreement between him and the President.
Meanwhile, Fubara held a closed-door meeting with President Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, on Monday.
Reports said the governor arrived at around 5pm for the meeting dressed in a deep-blue long-sleeve shirt, black trousers, and a black flat cap.
Minutes earlier, Ebonyi State governor, Francis Nwifuru, had been ushered in for a separate engagement. Details of both meetings were not undisclosed.
But specifically, Fubara’s visit had raised suspicion to the rumour that he might defect from the PDP to the APC following political turbulence in Rivers State.
His announcement on Tuesday has confirmed the rumours.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has denied an application filed by Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB, seeking his transfer from the Sokoto Correctional Centre to a custodial facility within the Federal Capital Territory or the neighbouring Nasarawa State.
Kanu, represented by the Legal Aid Council, submitted an ex-parte application requesting an order that would direct the Federal Government or the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to transfer him from the Sokoto facility to either the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja or the Keffi Custodial Centre in Nasarawa.
He requested a transfer to any custodial facility within the court’s jurisdiction, such as Suleja or Keffi, to allow him to effectively pursue his appeal.
However, Justice James Omotosho denied the request on Monday, stating that such an order could not be granted without first hearing from the Federal Government.
The judge directed Kanu to convert the ex-parte application into a motion on notice and serve all parties to allow fair hearing.
The case was subsequently fixed January 27, 2026, for the hearing of the motion.
