Northern leaders, including governors of the 19 northern states and prominent traditional rulers, have reaffirmed strong support for the swift creation of state police, insisting that decentralising Nigeria’s policing structure is now essential to addressing the deepening security crisis across the region.
Their position was outlined in a communiqué issued after a high-level meeting in Kaduna, where leaders warned that the current centralised police system can no longer effectively serve a nation of more than 200 million people—especially with many communities located in vast, ungoverned areas vulnerable to criminal activity.
They noted that several rural settlements lack adequate security presence due to limited personnel and structural challenges within the national police force.
Hosted by Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani and chaired by Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya, the meeting brought governors and traditional rulers together to review persistent security challenges ranging from banditry and mass abductions to farmer-herder conflicts and the broader economic disruptions plaguing the region.
In his remarks, Governor Uba Sani stressed that the North faces a complex and evolving security environment that requires coordinated, strategic action. He rejected suggestions that northern governors have been passive or slow to respond, stating that such claims are politically motivated and do not reflect ongoing efforts behind the scenes.
“The narrative that northern governors have become complacent is false,” he said. “We understand the gravity of the mandate entrusted to us and the urgency of each security threat we face.”
Sani argued that establishing state police has become inevitable, given the rising sophistication of criminal groups and the limited number of police officers nationwide. With fewer than 400,000 officers serving a massive population across wide geographic areas, he said many communities remain without meaningful protection.
He added that governors have created an “informal peer review mechanism” to share intelligence, compare security responses, and adopt effective strategies from one another.
Governor Yahaya echoed these views, emphasising that insecurity in the North affects everyone regardless of ethnicity or religion. He praised President Bola Tinubu for taking significant steps to stabilise the country but stressed that effective state-level policing is crucial to sustaining progress.
He cautioned against narratives that could inflame division or undermine national unity, noting that insecurity thrives when communities become polarised.
Yahaya further highlighted that the region’s security issues are deeply interconnected with poverty, inadequate education, climate-related pressures, and long-term underdevelopment. Addressing these root causes, alongside strengthening local policing structures, he said, is vital for lasting peace.
While acknowledging the importance of international support, he stressed that any external assistance must respect Nigeria’s sovereignty and align with its social and cultural realities.
The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment from governors and traditional rulers to deepen collaboration, strengthen security engagements at the community level, and support reforms that enhance safety across the region.
Northern leaders reiterated that the region urgently needs a more adaptive and locally responsive policing model. They urged the Federal Government to accelerate efforts toward establishing state police nationwide.