‘State Police To Generate 360,000 Jobs Before 2027’

The Presidency has reaffirmed its commitment to overhauling Nigeria’s security framework, expressing optimism that the establishment of state police forces could be fully realised before the expiration of President Bola Tinubu’s first term in office.

Speaking in an interview with Vanguard, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed that decentralised policing remains a crucial step toward tackling the nation’s lingering security challenges.

Onanuga noted that the current security setup contains a fundamental structural flaw, where state governors are officially designated as Chief Security Officers of their respective states yet exercise no direct authority over the police commands within their borders.

Detailing the broader benefits of the proposed security reform, the presidential aide highlighted that establishing state-controlled police formations would trigger a massive economic boom through job creation across the country.

According to him, decentralising law enforcement will allow states to recruit directly from their local communities, addressing both security gaps and youth unemployment simultaneously.

“It would create jobs for our people, and if every state assembles, say, 10,000 state policemen, multiply it, there are 360,000 jobs that we are going to create easily,” Onanuga explained.

Naija News reports that Onanuga pushed back against critics claiming the move to establish state police is a political calculation tied to upcoming general elections, describing such arguments as irresponsible.

Asserting that state governments now possess the financial capacity to maintain their own forces due to increased federal allocations, Onanuga added, “The election is still six months away. It can happen before the election, or it can happen thereafter.”

Presidency Moves To Enforce Local Council Autonomy

Addressing governance issues at the grassroots level, the spokesperson reiterated the Federal Government’s resolve to enforce the landmark Supreme Court ruling granting full financial autonomy to local government councils nationwide.

While acknowledging that full compliance across the 36 states has encountered delays, Onanuga stressed that governors are gradually recognising that grassroots empowerment is vital for securing rural communities and closing governance gaps.

“We admit that the implementation has been a bit slow, but I think we shall overcome very, very soon,” Onanuga stated.

“You can go to many councils; the chairman is not in the council; he is either in the capital of the state or in Abuja. We cannot allow this to continue.”

Onanuga also waded into concerns regarding state governors who abandon their official duties in their states to spend prolonged periods in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Clarifying that governance requires direct presence, the presidential aide urged state residents to actively challenge and demand accountability from their elected leaders rather than relying solely on federal intervention.

“If their governor is spending more time in Abuja than in the state, they should call him out. That’s my own advice,” Onanuga said.