S-West group urges Tinubu to expedite state police bill

By Dapo Akinrefon

LAGOS — The Southwest Security Stakeholders Group, SSSG, has urged President Bola Tinubu to expedite action on the establishment of state police following the passage of the proposed constitutional amendment by the National Assembly.

The group made the call on Tuesday after an extraordinary meeting held at Oodua House, Ikeja, Lagos.

The SSSG said the draft executive bill and implementation framework were scheduled for presentation to the President on September 3, 2026, while the constitutional amendment would still require approval by at least 24 of Nigeria’s 36 State Houses of Assembly.

The group, led by the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, comprises the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC; Agbekoya Society; Vigilante Group of Nigeria, VGN; Professional Hunters Association; Odua Warriors; Vigilante Jahun; Agbekoya Peace Movement; Agbekoya Solidarity Movement; COMSAIC; Isokan Ile Oodua; Egbe Obinrin Oodua Agbaye; Omo Oduduwa United; Yoruba People’s Congress and Yoruba Self-Defence Group.

The stakeholders also urged governors in the South-West and members of the various State Houses of Assembly to prioritise the passage of enabling laws, budgetary provisions and institutional arrangements required for the smooth take-off of state policing.

In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Ireti Adewole, the group acknowledged that incidents of insecurity had not been alarming in the South-West in recent months but stressed the need for the region to remain prepared by establishing state police structures.

It noted that residents in several states in the North and Middle Belt were still facing insecurity, stressing the need for proactive measures to prevent the spread of criminal activities.

The statement said: “The Southwest, parts of the South-South and South-East, the North and even the Middle Belt, are not yet free from disturbing criminal activities, including armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism and other forms of violence that threaten the peace and development of our communities.

“This situation calls for a united front and proactive measures from all stakeholders — government at all levels, security agencies, traditional institutions and civil society groups.”

The SSSG called on all stakeholders involved in the implementation of the proposed state police framework to expedite action, arguing that delays could undermine efforts to address insecurity at the community level.

It described the proposed state police system as a potentially significant reform of Nigeria’s security architecture, saying decentralisation could enable states to respond more effectively to local security challenges.

The group, however, expressed concern over what it described as the slow pace of implementation despite the passage of the proposal by the National Assembly.

It asked the Federal Government, state governments and State Houses of Assembly to provide clarity on the status of the reform and the steps being taken to actualise it.

“The people of the Southwest deserve clear answers and tangible actions,” it said.

The group also called for greater collaboration among governments, security agencies, traditional institutions and community organisations in developing technology-driven and community-based approaches to tackling insecurity.

According to the SSSG, such collaboration would strengthen intelligence gathering, improve rapid response and enhance community policing tailored to local security challenges.

“The time for rhetoric has passed. The people of the Southwest demand and deserve peace, security and development.

“The SSSG stands ready to collaborate with all stakeholders to achieve these goals. However, this requires commitment, transparency and urgency from our leaders and institutions,” the group said.

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