State Police: DAWN, stakeholders anticipate reform to guide operational efficiency
Southwest think tank, Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, yesterday hosted security experts, scholars, policy makers, academic, legal and civil society sectors, among other stakeholders, to deliberate on the
- From Yinka Adeniran, Ibadan
Southwest think tank, Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, yesterday hosted security experts, scholars, policy makers, academic, legal and civil society sectors, among other stakeholders, to deliberate on the operational framework for state policing in the region.
The effort, according to the commission, is being spearheaded to prepare Southwest ahead of anticipated national reforms.
The technical session tagged: “Foundational Imperatives for State Police in South West Nigeria”, was held at Dipo Famakinwa Conference Room, DAWN Commission headquarters, Cocoa House, Dugbe, Ibadan.
Director-General, Dr. Seye Oyeleye, said the meeting was convened in response to growing momentum at the federal level for the creation of state police, noting that Southwest could not afford to be unprepared.
He said with a bill already before the National Assembly, the region had resolved to begin developing a guiding template that would shape the operation of state police across the six Southwest states.
He said: “Yes, we know that the Federal Government, headed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has put the issue of creation of state police at the forefront of the measures they are taking on security.
“Since he came to power in 2023, he has been talking about state police.
“The bill is already at the National Assembly. So, at the Southwest end, we said we are not going to wait until state police starts before we decide to have a template—a common ground on how we believe state police can operate efficiently in Southwest Nigeria.”
The DAWN DG defended Nigeria Police Force, attributing its challenges to inadequate manpower relative to the country’s population.
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He said the outcome of the meeting would be transmitted to Southwest governors as a foundation for policy direction, expressing confidence that state police could become operational early next year.
Oyeleye clarified that Amotekun and state police could coexist within the region’s security architecture.
“Having Amotekun and state police, they are not mutually exclusive. They can exist side by side. It is up to the governors. They may even decide that Amotekun will serve as forest rangers,” he said.
Professor Isaac Albert of the Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ibadan, said the focus should be on how to implement state policing effectively, rather than debating its necessity.
Executive Director of Journalists for Democratic Rights, Mr Adewale Adeoye, who moderated the session, said state policing must be people-centred and reflective of local realities.
