Manny Ita –
Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has inaugurated a 14-member advisory committee to begin the process of establishing a state police structure, following a directive from President Bola Tinubu encouraging states to initiate preparatory frameworks for decentralized policing.
Officials in the state government said the committee has been mandated to develop a roadmap that will guide the legal, administrative and operational steps required for the creation of a state policing system.
The initiative comes amid ongoing national conversations on security restructuring and the need to strengthen local capacity in addressing community-level security challenges across Nigeria.
Speaking during the inauguration, Governor Mutfwang said the committee was constituted to study the feasibility, operational models and legal implications of establishing a state-controlled police force in Plateau.
“The task before this committee is to examine the framework for a viable state policing structure that will complement existing national security architecture while addressing peculiar security challenges in our communities,” the governor said.
He added that the advisory body would engage with security experts, legal practitioners, traditional leaders and community stakeholders in order to develop a comprehensive framework.
“We expect the committee to provide practical recommendations that will ensure any eventual state police system operates within constitutional provisions, respects human rights and strengthens public confidence in law enforcement,” Mutfwang said.
Officials said the committee will also review experiences from other jurisdictions where sub-national policing systems operate alongside federal police institutions.
Nigeria currently operates a centralised policing system under the Nigeria Police Force, but calls for state police have intensified in recent years due to rising security concerns in several parts of the country.
A senior government official in Plateau said the committee’s work would align with broader consultations taking place across states following the President’s directive encouraging state governments to begin preparatory work for possible constitutional reforms on policing.
“The committee will study legal frameworks, funding requirements, recruitment standards and accountability mechanisms needed for an effective state police system,” the official said.
The advisory body is expected to submit its report and recommendations to the state government after completing consultations and technical assessments in the coming months.
