The Steering Committee on the establishment of state police, constituted by the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has warned that shortening the implementation timeline for the proposed reform could pose serious risks to national security and operational stability.
In its recommendations cited by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday, the committee said the scale of structural, legal and institutional reforms required makes a rushed rollout unsafe and potentially counterproductive.
The committee, chaired by the Director-General of the National Institute of Police Studies, Prof. Olu Ogunsakin, was inaugurated on March 4 and given a one-month mandate to develop an operational framework for the establishment of state police services across the country.
It was also tasked with designing recruitment systems, training structures and resource mobilisation strategies to strengthen internal security through a dual policing arrangement involving federal and state forces.
According to the committee, an accelerated implementation plan could undermine the capacity of the Nigeria Police Force, particularly through mass officer transfers that may create critical manpower gaps during periods of national emergencies and inter-state crimes.
It further warned that inadequate time for infrastructure development, digital systems integration and personnel training could result in poorly equipped state police formations that are vulnerable to operational failure.
The committee also raised concerns over weak preparation for oversight institutions such as the National Police Standard Board (NPSB) and State Police Commissions, cautioning that insufficient readiness could lead to uneven standards across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The NPSB, a 13-member independent federal oversight body, is expected to conduct annual inspections, issue compliance ratings, and impose sanctions such as funding restrictions on non-compliant state police commands.
It also enforces uniform standards for training, equipment and operational procedures across both federal and state policing structures.
On the legal framework, the committee noted that constitutional amendments and enabling legislation require careful deliberation at the National Assembly level, warning that rushed processes could trigger litigation, delays and implementation setbacks.
“Hastening invites legal challenges and delays. Faster timelines heighten chances of elite capture, politicisation or abuse before safeguards mature, thus eroding public trust,” the committee stated.
It recommended a 60-month phased implementation plan, which it said would allow for structured rollout, periodic reviews and proper resource allocation.
Under the proposed timeline, the first 12 months would focus on constitutional amendments and the establishment of oversight institutions such as the NPSB and State Police Commissions.
The second phase (13–24 months) would involve voluntary transfers of personnel, supported by incentives aimed at preserving federal policing capacity while preventing operational disruptions.
Between 25 and 48 months, the committee proposed state-specific recruitment, infrastructure development and joint operational testing to ensure readiness and reduce training and equipment gaps.
The final phase (49–60 months) would include audits by the NPSB, enforcement of compliance penalties and public feedback mechanisms to address gaps and prevent politicisation.
The committee specifically rejected shorter rollout proposals of about 24 months, warning that such timelines could lead to elite capture, uneven state preparedness and weakening of the federal police structure.
It, however, recommended that approximately 60 per cent of serving officers in the Nigeria Police Force be allowed to transition into the proposed 37 State Police Services under a Voluntary Transfer Programme (VTP), with no compulsory redeployments.
To support the transition, it proposed incentives including a three-month salary grant, structured training programmes, pension continuity guarantees and career counselling for affected officers.
Special considerations were also recommended for officers close to retirement, those on medical leave, personnel deployed in high-risk conflict zones, and female officers with family-related needs.
