By Deborah Coker
The Steering Committee on the establishment of State Police put in place by the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police, Olatunji Disu, says shorter rollout timelines for state police will be too risky.
The committee, in its recommendations cited by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday, explained that this was due to the massive scale of reforms involved.
NAN reports that the committee, headed by the Director-General of National Institute of Police Studies, Prof. Olu Ogunsakin, was inaugurated by the I-G on March 4.
The eight-man team was saddled with the responsibility of creating an operational framework for state police within one month.
It was also expected to oversee the implementation of state-level policing to complement the federal force in addressing the rising national security concerns.
Part of the committee’s assignment was also to propose frameworks for recruitments, training and resources generation to strengthen internal security.
The committee explained that rushed transfers of officers could weaken federal police capacity, thus creating security vacuums during national threats or inter-state crimes.
It also said that inadequate time for infrastructure (facilities, digital systems) and training would lead to under-equipped and ineffective state forces being prone to failures.
The committee further stated that insufficient preparation for oversight bodies like the National Police Standard Board (NPSB) and State Commissions risked poor compliance and uneven standards across all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. (FCT).NAN reports that the NPSB, a 13-member independent federal body, conducts annual inspections, issues compliance ratings and imposes penalties like funding restrictions on non-compliant state forces.
It enforces uniform training, equipment and operational protocols across federal and state police.
According to the committee, constitutional amendments and new laws need deliberate National Assembly processes.
“Hastening invites legal challenges and delays. Faster timelines heighten chances of elite capture, politicisation or abuse before safeguard matures, thus eroding public trust.
”The 60-month timeline systematically addresses rollout risks through structured phasing, built-in reviews and resource allocation.
”Months 1-12 prioritise constitutional amendments and oversight creation (NPSB, State Commissions), avoiding rushed laws that invite court challenges or uneven adoption across states.
”Months 13-24 handle voluntary transfers with exemptions and incentives, preserving federal capacity while preventing mass disruptions —unlike shorter plans that can hollow out national policing.
”Months 25-48 allow state-specific recruitment, facilities and joint operations testing, reducing equipment shortages or untrained deployments.
”Months 49-60 include NPSB audits, compliance penalties and public feedback loops to catch politicisation or gaps early, ensuring stability over hasty full rollout,’’ the committee stated.
It, however, rejected the shorter timelines (e.g., 24 months) due to due to what it called potential elite capture, uneven state readiness and federal police weakening, adding that 60 months would ensure stability, audits and adjustments across phases.
The committee recommended transferring approximately 60 per cent of current Nigeria Police Force personnel to the proposed 37 State Police Services.
It said that Voluntary Transfer Programme (VTP) would, however, be adopted in ensuring that officers opt to move to home states or preferred states, with no forced transfers.
The committee also recommended incentives, including three-month salary grant, transition training, guaranteed pension continuity and career counseling for officers.
It equally recommended special considerations for officers near retirement (within five years), on medical leave, in conflict zones or female personnel with family needs.
(NAN)