President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that the proposed establishment of state police will be backed by adequate safeguards to prevent abuse by state governments.
The President gave the assurance on Thursday while receiving members of the Oyo State Council of Obas, led by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, at the State House, Abuja.
Tinubu said the proposed policing structure would operate within clearly defined checks and balances, adding that traditional rulers would play important roles in ensuring accountability.
“There will be state police. That state police will have guardrails from abuses. We’ll protect it from abuses, and you traditional rulers too will have roles to play,” the President said.
He also disclosed that the Federal Government was strengthening the country’s security architecture by enhancing the capacity of forest guards to combat criminal activities in forests across the country.
According to him, the forest guards will be equipped to pursue and confront criminal elements rather than merely protect wildlife.
“We are equally enhancing the capacity and capability of the forest guards; they are not just to chase antelopes and animals.
“We are going to have them chase the criminals and deal with them in various forests,” he said.
Tinubu further revealed that the Federal Government had recently created four additional divisions of the Nigerian Army, increasing the total number from eight to 12 divisions, to improve the military’s operational capacity and rapid response to security threats nationwide.
The President commended the armed forces for the successful rescue of abducted pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, attributing the operation to the government’s refusal to negotiate with kidnappers.
“Congratulations on the Oriire rescue that succeeded. I think we succeeded with your support, prayers, and I agree with you that we should commend the men and women of the armed forces for their excellent performance,” he said.
Tinubu said the kidnappers had demanded the release of detained members of their criminal gang, in addition to ransom payments, but the government rejected the conditions.
“We refused to negotiate. These criminals wanted us to release members of their criminal gangs already in detention as one of their conditions, aside from the money they were demanding.
“I said, ‘No deal.’ We are not going to negotiate with criminals. They committed murder,” he said.
The President noted that some of the criminals were foreign nationals, adding that insecurity in neighbouring Mali, Burkina Faso and the Niger Republic had contributed to Nigeria’s security challenges.
He called on Nigerians to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons and activities to security agencies, describing intelligence gathering as critical to addressing insecurity.
On the economy, Tinubu said the country’s fiscal position had improved, resulting in increased statutory allocations to state governments.
He advised governors to prioritise road construction and rehabilitation projects that improve connectivity and facilitate security operations instead of embarking on non-essential infrastructure.
“I encourage governors to focus on roads that open up communities and make it easier for security agencies to respond quickly, rather than building unnecessary flyovers,” he said.
Earlier, the Olubadan of Ibadanland commended the President for the successful rescue of the abducted pupils and teachers and expressed support for the administration’s security and infrastructure initiatives.
Ladoja also advocated true federalism, saying it would accelerate national development, and called for constitutional recognition of traditional rulers.
“We believe in your Renewed Hope Agenda. It is clear you are renewing our hope through infrastructure development and the rehabilitation of abandoned roads.
“We traditional rulers must ensure this administration completes its tenure. We are ready at all times to offer advice and prayers for the success of your administration,” the monarch said.
The debate over the creation of state police has intensified in recent months as stakeholders seek measures to strengthen internal security while preventing political interference.
Earlier this month, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele disclosed that one of the proposed safeguards under consideration is an independent funding mechanism from the Federal Government to reduce the likelihood of abuse by state authorities.
