The National Economic Council (NEC) has issued a September 9 deadline for Kwara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Adamawa, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to submit their reports on the creation of state police. Bayo Lawal, acting governor of Oyo State, announced the deadline on Wednesday during a briefing with State House correspondents following the NEC meeting, which was presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The creation of state police has been under discussion as a response to ongoing security challenges across the nation, including in the northeast, north-central, southwest, southeast, and south-south regions. Lawal emphasized that NEC expects all states to comply with the report submission deadline, warning that any state failing to meet the deadline will be bound by whatever decision the council takes regarding the establishment of state police.
The federal government had previously set up a committee on February 15 to explore the possibility of state police, and in March, NEC noted that 20 states had yet to submit their reports on the matter.