Nigeria Defends State Police Plan At UN, Says Reform Will Tackle Insecurity

Nigeria has intensified diplomatic efforts to secure global backing for its proposed State Police initiative, describing the reform as a strategic step toward tackling insecurity, strengthening public trust, and improving police accountability across the country.

Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amb. Jimoh Ibrahim, made this known while hosting United Nations Police Advisers in New York, where he outlined President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to overhauling Nigeria’s policing architecture through decentralisation and institutional reforms.

According to Ibrahim, Nigeria’s impressive performance in international peacekeeping and policing missions under the UN framework has further reinforced the Federal Government’s resolve to establish State Police as part of broader security sector reforms.

He noted that the proposed policing structure is designed to enhance crime prevention, improve operational efficiency, and ensure more effective deployment of manpower to address local security challenges.

“The Nigerian police performance in international missions triggers President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing reform of establishing the Nigeria State Police,” Ibrahim stated.

He explained that the decentralised policing model would enable faster response to security threats, closer community engagement, and stronger collaboration between law enforcement agencies and local authorities.

Ibrahim further assured that the Federal Government would provide the required logistics, equipment, and institutional backing necessary for the successful implementation of the proposed State Police system.

“The President is dedicated to providing the necessary logistics and equipment for this new setup,” he said.

He added that Nigeria is actively seeking the support of the United Nations and other international partners to ensure the reform aligns with global best practices in policing and internal security management.

According to the envoy, the initiative is also aimed at bridging the growing trust deficit between citizens and security institutions by improving police accountability and responsiveness at the grassroots level.

“President Bola Tinubu is working to improve the Nigerian State Police, addressing the gap between communities’ expectations and police accountability,” Ibrahim stated.

He also highlighted Nigeria’s longstanding contributions to global peacekeeping operations under the United Nations, in a statement signed by the envoy media office,stressing that the country’s international policing experience provides a strong foundation for the success of the proposed reform.

Recall that the State Police proposal has remained a major subject of national discourse, with stakeholders arguing that decentralised policing could offer a more effective solution to Nigeria’s persistent internal security challenges.