Northern leaders, comprising governors of the 19 northern states and traditional rulers, have reaffirmed their strong support for the rapid establishment of State Police, insisting that decentralizing Nigeria’s policing system is now essential to tackling worsening insecurity across the region.
Northern Leaders
The position was formalized in a communiqué issued after a high-level meeting in Kaduna, chaired by Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State and hosted by Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani.
Leaders at the summit warned that Nigeria’s centralized police architecture can no longer adequately cater to a population estimated at over 237 million people in 2025, especially with vast ungoverned territories exposed to criminality.
The meeting focused on persistent threats ranging from banditry and mass abductions to farmer-herder clashes. In his opening remarks, Governor Sani argued that the creation of State Police has become unavoidable due to structural limitations in the current system.
He cited the severe shortage of law enforcement personnel, noting that with a national police force strength of around 371,800 officers and a police-to-citizen ratio significantly below the UN standard of 1:400, many rural communities remain without meaningful protection.
Governor Sani also addressed critics, stressing that Northern governors are not complacent but have been working collectively to address threats. “The public conversation about insecurity in the north has become more complicated.
A few voices driven by political motives have worked to create the impression that northern governors have grown complacent; nothing could be further from the truth,” he said.
Governor Yahaya reinforced this stance, emphasizing that the security challenges affect all residents of the North, regardless of religious or ethnic background.
He commended President Bola Tinubu for taking bold steps to stabilize the country but stressed that state-level policing is the key to sustaining long-term progress.
Leaders at the summit agreed that insecurity is deeply connected to systemic issues, including poverty, illiteracy, climate pressures, and decades of underdevelopment.
They maintained that addressing these root causes alongside strengthening policing structures is critical for achieving lasting peace.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment between governors and traditional rulers to intensify collaboration and deepen community-level engagements.
They urged the Federal Government to fast-track the process of establishing State Police nationwide, asserting that the North requires a more adaptive, locally responsive policing model.
