SECURITY | STATE POLICE OFF AGENDA AS NEC MEETS THURSDAY

Deliberations on the highly anticipated creation of state police have been officially ruled out of the agenda for the upcoming National Economic Council (NEC) meeting scheduled for Thursday, April 24, multiple sources within the Presidency confirmed late Sunday.

Vice President Kashim Shettima is set to preside over the meeting, which will be the second gathering of the Council in 2025. The session will be held at the Council Chamber of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja, where top government officials, including governors and relevant federal stakeholders, are expected to convene to discuss pressing economic and developmental matters.

Despite growing public discourse and political advocacy surrounding the establishment of state-controlled police forces—seen by many as a potential solution to Nigeria’s deepening insecurity—insiders say the issue will not be tabled for discussion at Thursday’s session.

“The meeting is for the 24th of this month. But state police is not part of the things they will be talking about,” one official with direct knowledge of the NEC’s planning confirmed to our correspondent. The source also revealed that the NEC Secretariat has already submitted the detailed agenda to the Office of the Vice President, and the topic of state police is conspicuously absent.

Another senior source familiar with the workings of the Council emphasized that while there has been growing pressure from some quarters for the inclusion of state policing in NEC’s discussions, the final decision rests with the Vice President. “The VP is the one who decides what goes into the agenda,” the source said. “As of Sunday night, there is no talk about state police on what I saw. Some people are pushing for it to be discussed, but as of now, it is not there.”

The exclusion of the state police issue from the agenda may come as a disappointment to advocates who view decentralized policing as a necessary reform to address the rising wave of insecurity across the country. Supporters argue that state police would enable quicker, community-focused responses to crime, insurgency, and civil unrest, especially in regions where federal law enforcement has been stretched thin.

Nonetheless, the topic remains politically sensitive and constitutionally complex, with concerns about potential abuse of power at the state level and the need for clear checks and balances. Though not on the current NEC agenda, the debate is likely to resurface in future discussions as calls for security sector reform continue to intensify nationwide.