By Muhammad Mamman
President Bola Tinubu has declared that the creation of state police is unavoidable if Nigeria is to decisively tackle rising insecurity.
Speaking at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday during a courtesy visit by Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda and a delegation of prominent indigenes, Tinubu said the federal government was committed to taking the fight directly to violent groups terrorising communities.
The President ordered security agencies to reassess their operations in Katsina, where banditry has surged, and announced the deployment of advanced military hardware, drones, and surveillance systems. He also revealed plans to boost the capacity of newly recruited forest guards in the state.
“Our security challenges are surmountable,” Tinubu said. “Yes, our borders are porous and we inherited weaknesses that should have been addressed earlier, but this is a challenge we must fix—and we are facing it. I have today directed all the security agencies to re-energise their strategies. We have approved additional drones, and I am to be given daily updates on operations in Katsina.
“I have to create state police. We are looking at it holistically. We will defeat insecurity. We must protect our children, our people, our livelihoods, our places of worship, and our recreational spaces. They cannot intimidate us.”
Tinubu reminded the delegation that in February 2024 the federal government set up a committee to develop the framework for state policing. The proposal has received broad support, though Vice-President Kashim Shettima recently disclosed that 20 states were yet to submit their reports.
Paying tribute to his predecessor, Tinubu praised former President Muhammadu Buhari’s legacy, describing him as a leader who left “a legacy of success, not a battered political structure.”
Governor Radda, along with former Governor Aminu Masari and the Wazirin Katsina, Ibrahim Ida, commended Tinubu for his commitment to security and infrastructure in the state. Ida, however, urged the federal government to upgrade the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport and prioritise security in southern Katsina.
