Nigeria’s governors have thrown their full weight behind the establishment of state police, describing it as a critical weapon in the fight against the nation’s spiralling security crisis.
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum made the declaration Thursday after its second meeting of 2026 in Abuja, with Ogun State Governor , Dapo Abiodun, reading the communiqué signed by NGF Chairman AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq
“Constitutionally Sound” Framework
The governors stressed that any state police structure must be:
*Constitutionally sound
· Aligned with federalism principles, and
*Respectful of citizens’ rights
The Forum revealed it had been consulting with state Attorneys-General to review proposed constitutional amendments, with the aim of strengthening the states’ collective position on the mattter.
The communiqué painted a grim picture:
*Boko Haram, armed banditry, and other criminal groups have terrorised Nigeria for over two decades
*Thousands have died and millions displaced
*The violence, once concentrated in the North, has now spread to parts of the South.
The governors didn’t stop at security. The Forum also reaffirmed support for
*The National Solar Super-Grid Initiative to boost energy access
*Agricultural development programmes to ramp up food production
The governors argued that the reforms of state police, energy, and agriculture were inseparable pillars for tackling Nigeria’s challenges and driving sustainable economic growth.
