Tinubu Promises Safeguards Against Governors’ Abuse of State Police Powers
Summary:
President Tinubu says proposed state police will have safeguards to prevent abuse by governors.
FG plans to strengthen security with more forest guards and additional Army divisions.
President rules out negotiations with kidnappers, urges Nigerians to support security agencies with intelligence.
President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that the proposed creation of state police will include strict safeguards to prevent state governors from abusing the security outfit.
The President gave the assurance on Thursday, July 30, while receiving members of the Oyo State Council of Obas, led by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.Read origin
Speaking during the meeting, Tinubu said the planned state police system would operate under checks and balances designed to ensure accountability. He added that traditional rulers would also play an important role in monitoring the new security structure.
"There will be state police. That state police will have guardrails from abuses. We'll protect it from abuses, and your traditional rulers too will have roles to play," the President said.
Tinubu also disclosed that the Federal Government is expanding the country's security framework by strengthening the capacity of forest guards to combat criminal activities in forests across Nigeria.
According to him, the forest guards will no longer be limited to wildlife protection but will actively pursue kidnappers, bandits and other criminal groups operating in forested areas.
The President further revealed that the Federal Government has created four additional divisions of the Nigerian Army, increasing the total number from eight to 12, to improve the military's ability to respond quickly to security threats nationwide.
Commending the armed forces for rescuing abducted pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Tinubu said the successful operation was achieved because his administration refused to negotiate with the kidnappers.
"We refused to negotiate. These criminals wanted us to release members of their gangs already in detention as one of their conditions, apart from demanding money. I said, 'No deal.' We are not going to negotiate with criminals," he stated.
He added that some of the criminals involved in insecurity are foreigners, noting that instability in Mali, Burkina Faso and the Niger Republic has worsened Nigeria's security challenges.
Tinubu urged Nigerians to remain alert and report suspicious movements and activities in their communities, stressing that intelligence gathering remains critical to defeating insecurity.
On the economy, the President said Nigeria's fiscal position has improved, with state governments now receiving higher allocations. He advised governors to focus on constructing and rehabilitating roads that improve access to rural communities and support security operations instead of investing in unnecessary flyover projects.
Earlier, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, thanked the President for the successful rescue of the abducted pupils and teachers and praised his administration's infrastructure projects under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The monarch also renewed his call for true federalism and constitutional roles for traditional rulers, saying both reforms would strengthen governance and accelerate national development.
"We believe in your Renewed Hope Agenda. It is clear you are renewing our hope in infrastructure and fixing our abandoned roads," Ladoja said.
The debate over state police has gained renewed attention in recent months as the Federal Government and the National Assembly continue discussions on constitutional amendments aimed at improving Nigeria's security architecture.
Earlier this month, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele disclosed that one of the proposed safeguards for state police is an independent funding mechanism from the Federal Government to reduce the risk of political interference by state governments.
