State police reform could cost up to N1 trillion, first recruits expected from 2027 — Report

The proposed creation of state police in Nigeria could cost between N589 billion and N813 billion over five years, with total implementation expected to run into nearly N1 trillion, according to a committee report.

The findings were contained in a report by the Steering Committee on the Establishment of State Police, set up by the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to design a framework for decentralised policing across the country.

The committee, chaired by Olu Ogunsakin of the National Institute of Police Studies, was tasked with developing an operational roadmap within one month and advising on recruitment, training, and funding structures for state-level policing.

According to the report, the first phase of the reform (months 1–12) will focus on legal and constitutional changes, including amendments to Sections 213 and 215 of the 1999 Constitution and the passage of a State Police Act by the National Assembly.

It also recommends that all 36 states and the FCT pass enabling laws, while establishing State Police Service Commissions and ombudsman offices to oversee accountability.

Recruitment, deployment timeline set

The committee outlined a four-phase transition plan spanning 60 months, beginning with legal groundwork and ending with full operational consolidation.

Recruitment of the first batch of state police officers is expected to begin in phase two (months 13–24). However, deployment will not start until phase three (months 25–42), when state police are expected to assume active policing duties while federal police gradually shift to a national mandate.

A final consolidation phase (months 43–60) will complete the restructuring of the national policing system.

The report says each state will need to build a new policing structure from scratch, including training institutions, ICT systems, forensic infrastructure, custody facilities, and community policing frameworks.

It also recommends the creation of a National Police Standard Board and zonal inspection offices to ensure uniform standards across states.

A national ICT system, including a criminal records database and upgraded fingerprint identification system, is estimated to cost between N65 billion and N95 billion alone.

Workforce protection and transition plan

The committee stressed that officers’ welfare and pension rights must be protected during the transition, adding that no officer should be forcibly dismissed.

It also noted that about 273,648 officers would be transitioned or integrated over the implementation period, making the reform one of the largest security restructurings in Nigeria’s history.

The report concluded that a 60-month timeline is the minimum realistic period for restructuring Nigeria’s policing system, given the scale of legal, institutional, and operational changes required.

It added that the phased approach is necessary to ensure continuity of security while reforms are gradually implemented across all levels of government.

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