ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Executive Governors of the thirty-six states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have collectively thrown their political weight behind the formal establishment of state police structures and a comprehensive amendment of the nation's constitution. However, the state executives strongly emphasized that any newly introduced sub-national policing system must be firmly backed by clear, unbendable constitutional provisions and must be meticulously designed to safeguard the fundamental human rights of all Nigerian citizens.
The governors made their unified position known through an official communique released after the second high-profile meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum held at the forum's secretariat in Abuja. The highly anticipated meeting, which commenced on Wednesday evening and stretched deep into the early hours of Thursday, June 18, 2026, focused heavily on a series of major national challenges, including persistent security threats, sub-national electricity reforms, and national child nutrition initiatives. Despite the broad agenda, intense deliberations regarding the operational modalities of state policing completely dominated the conference room as regional insecurity continues to remain a pressing concern across many parts of the country.
In the official communiqué signed by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Executive Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the state leaders disclosed that they had carefully reviewed the fresh progress made toward creating a legally workable and operationally efficient state police framework. According to the forum, members received detailed, highly technical presentations from the forum’s central secretariat alongside a specialized delegation of state Attorneys-General. This legal team has been working around the clock to draft structural blueprints that support the decentralization of law enforcement across Nigeria.
The governors revealed that the technical discussions also involved intensive consultations aimed at thoroughly reviewing proposed constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, and inter-state operational frameworks that would guide the practical implementation of the initiative. The goal is to ensure that the transition from a single, centralized federal police force to a decentralized system does not create jurisdictional conflicts or political friction between state governors and federal authorities.
Speaking to legislative correspondents immediately after the conclusion of the marathon meeting, the Executive Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, explained that all thirty-six governors agreed that state policing remains an absolutely vital step in addressing the country's complex security challenges, such as rural banditry, kidnapping, and insurgent activities. However, Abiodun insisted that the new structure must be carefully and scientifically designed to prevent political abuse and ensure professional accountability.
We, members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, at our meeting held today, deliberated extensively on critical issues affecting the peace and progress of the country, Abiodun stated while reading portions of the resolution. Following extensive and robust deliberations, the Forum resolved as follows: The Forum received an insightful presentation from the NGF Secretariat and a delegation of the Honourable Attorneys-General of the States on ongoing efforts to support establishing State Police in Nigeria. It noted a dedicated consultation with the attorneys-general to review the proposed constitutional amendments and frameworks.
The Ogun State Governor further added that the governors strongly emphasized the need for the State Police to be constitutionally sound, perfectly aligned with the true tenets of federalism, and deeply respectful of citizens’ civil liberties. The Forum noted the collaborative effort across all regional divides and added that the final outcomes of these legal consultations would significantly strengthen the states’ collective position during the upcoming public hearings at the National Assembly.
The renewed, aggressive push for state police comes exactly a few months after the governors collectively endorsed the rapid development of an administrative framework to support the security initiative. That evolving framework outlines several major structural requirements needed for successful implementation. These critical components include sustainable funding models to ensure officers are paid regularly, independent governance systems to insulate the force from partisan political interference, robust external oversight structures, rigorous personnel training regimes, and modern digital infrastructure required to guarantee transparency, efficiency, and accountability.
Beyond the pressing issues of regional security, the state executives also dedicated significant time to discussing structural reforms within Nigeria’s power sector. The forum reiterated its total support for ongoing electricity market decentralization, which allows states to generate, transmit, and distribute power within their borders, and pledged stronger inter-state collaboration to drastically improve electricity supply nationwide.
As part of this energy agenda, the governors reviewed an extensive presentation on the National Solar Super-Grid Initiative. This major renewable energy proposal is aimed at expanding clean electricity access across rural and urban centers through large-scale, decentralized solar generation plants linked directly to a modernized national transmission network. According to the forum's assessment, this green initiative could significantly improve national energy security, deepen regional industrial growth, strengthen state-level competitive electricity markets, and ultimately support massive economic expansion.
Furthermore, the governors pledged their unalloyed support for the National Nutrition 774 Initiative as part of emergency efforts to tackle malnutrition and stunting, especially among vulnerable children in rural communities. They also acknowledged the ongoing legislative work on the National Nutrition Bill and encouraged further direct engagement with healthcare stakeholders to strengthen the legal and policy frameworks for nutrition governance across the country, concluding a productive legislative night aimed at national renewal.
