We Studied US, India, Pakistan Models Before Drafting State Police Framework — IG

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force studied policing systems in India, the United States and Pakistan while developing its proposed framework for the establishment of state police in Nigeria.

Disu made the disclosure on Thursday during a workshop on state police held in Abuja, where senior police officers gathered to discuss the proposed decentralised policing structure and its implications for national security.

According to the police chief, the workshop was organised to educate officers on the proposed state police system and address concerns surrounding its implementation.

He noted that many officers had expressed fears about the planned reform, stressing that the workshop was intended to provide clarity on the objectives and operational structure of state policing.

Disu said the Federal Government had already resolved to establish state police and emphasised that the Nigeria Police Force had a responsibility to support the initiative by providing professional input and technical expertise.

He explained that the police leadership established a committee to prepare a workable framework after deciding it would be inappropriate for the Force to remain passive on an issue with significant implications for policing in the country.

According to him, although the Nigeria Governors’ Forum had already completed its own recommendations before the police committee began work, the Force quickly developed its own proposal within 17 days.

The Inspector-General stated that the police framework has since become one of the key reference documents being considered in ongoing discussions on state policing.

He added that former Inspectors-General of Police also reviewed the proposal and contributed recommendations aimed at strengthening the framework before its presentation.

Disu revealed that the committee carried out extensive comparative studies of countries operating decentralised policing systems, including India, the United States and Pakistan, to identify practices that could be adapted to Nigeria’s unique security environment.

He urged participants at the workshop to examine the framework critically and contribute ideas that would improve the final proposal.

The Inspector-General stressed that effective collaboration among stakeholders would be essential to creating a state police system capable of addressing Nigeria’s growing security challenges while strengthening public confidence in law enforcement.

The proposed establishment of state police has continued to attract national attention as governments and security experts seek alternative approaches to tackling insecurity across the country.