President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday said his administration would work closely with the leadership of the National Assembly to remove political and bureaucratic bottlenecks stalling the operationalisation of state police in Nigeria.
Speaking at the State House, Abuja, during a meeting with members of the Northeast Governors Forum led by Babagana Zulum, the President said the time had come for a clear, collective path towards community-based policing that reflects the peculiar needs of different regions.
“I have been looking at the security situation more carefully. I have seen the Civilian JTF react to the security challenges, finding so many creative ways to protect neighbourhoods and communities around you, and that provoked my thinking about state police again.
“Politics apart, we can discuss with the National Assembly leadership to really look at a critical path to that again, see how we can eliminate or douse political alliances from state police that will be indigenous to the community and provide the additional safety buffer and effectiveness in the area. We have to look at it collectively together,”Tinubu said.
The President stressed that while political concerns will always surface around the issue, they must not be allowed to derail urgent security reforms.
He said his government was committed to ensuring that the proposed structure would be insulated from partisanship and designed purely to strengthen safety across communities.
Tinubu also vowed not to allow partisan politics or early campaign distractions to shift his focus from national priorities.
“In the political environment we are being drawn into early political activities from our rival political parties but whichever way it is, I am not detracted. I am solidly focused, laser focused on what is ahead,” he told the Governors.
He said the gains already being recorded in the Northeast — including improved security, resettlement of displaced persons, rising school enrolment, and new housing projects — were proof that collaborative governance works.
He urged the Governors to sustain commitment to development and security while assuring them of continued federal support.
“In the short run of two years, we can beat our chest, the economy has turned round. Many of you are already sending back displaced citizens, the housing programme you embarked upon in Borno and collectively seen how displaced people are returning to their normal residences and having a roof over their head,” the President noted.
Tinubu further highlighted agricultural mechanisation as a priority, disclosing plans to establish training and maintenance centres in all zones of the country to drive food sovereignty.
He also commended Yobe State for producing outstanding students despite the region’s challenges, describing it as a sign of resilience and progress.
He concluded by thanking the governors for their dedication, saying the combined efforts of federal and state governments were laying the foundation for a safer and more prosperous Nigeria.
Zulum urged President Tinubu to prioritise the completion of 17 strategic roads across the region and resume oil exploration activities in the Kolmani and Lake Chad basins.
Speaking on behalf of the forum Governor Zulum said the requests formed part of critical interventions needed to reverse years of neglect and environmental setbacks suffered by the sub-region.
He noted that improved infrastructure and energy development would help tackle insecurity and boost economic opportunities.
The Governors listed the roads requiring urgent completion and construction to include the Kano–Maiduguri Road, Port Harcourt–Jos–Bauchi–Maiduguri railway line, Bama–Mubi–Yola Road, Wukari–Jalingo–Yola Road, Bauchi–Gombe–Biu–Damaturu Road, Damaturu–Geidam Road, and Maiduguri–Monguno–Baga Road, among others.
They also requested the Federal Government to support the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) with additional funding to sustain operations against insurgents in the Lake Chad region and other identified flashpoints such as Sambisa Forest, Mandara Hills, Karin Lamido, and Dajin Madama.
Zulum commended the Tinubu administration for sustaining military pressure on insurgents and for interventions in environmental challenges such as flooding and desertification, but stressed the need for more targeted investments in security and development.
“As a sub-region, we have the peculiarity of managing large states with unmanned forests, gorges, deserts, mountains, and rivers which make them inaccessible and often hard to reach, almost becoming ungoverned spaces. This has exacerbated the security challenges of the region,” he explained.
The Governors pledged support for President Tinubu’s reforms and promised to partner with the federal government to deliver lasting legacies for Nigeria.
