The Steering Committee on the Establishment of State Police has proposed a four-phase transition roadmap for the creation of state policing structures, outlining a comprehensive reform plan estimated to cost up to N813 billion over five years.
The recommendation is contained in a report by the committee, constituted by the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, and obtained by The Atlantic Bell on Friday.
Chaired by Olu Ogunsakin, the eight-member committee was inaugurated on March 4 and tasked with developing an operational framework for state policing within one month.
The panel is also mandated to guide the implementation of state-level policing to complement the federal system and address rising security challenges, including frameworks for recruitment, training and funding.
According to the report, the proposed transition will span 60 months and be executed in four phases.
Phase one (months one to 12) will focus on legal and constitutional procedures, including amendments to Sections 213 and 215 of the 1999 Constitution, enactment of a State Police Act by the National Assembly, and passage of enabling laws by all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The phase will also involve the establishment of State Police Service Commissions and ombudsman offices across the states.
Phase two (months 13 to 24) will cover personnel transfer, with the introduction of Voluntary Transfer Programmes (VTP) to allow officers of the federal police to move to state commands.
In phase three (months 25 to 42), state police operations will commence fully, with responsibility for local policing shifting to state authorities, while the federal force refocuses on national duties.
Phase four (months 43 to 60) will consolidate the reform, including full reorganisation of the Federal Police Service.
The committee emphasised that constitutional and legal frameworks must precede implementation, warning that institutional structures must be built from the ground up in all states.
It recommended the establishment of fully functional state police services, including service commissions, ombudsman offices, community policing forums at the local government level, as well as ICT systems, custody facilities and forensic capabilities.
The report also called for the creation of a National Police Standard Board to oversee compliance and operations across six zonal offices.
It projected an establishment cost ranging from N589 billion to N813 billion, noting that the financial burden necessitates phased implementation.
On manpower, the committee said each state police service would recruit and train a new cadre of officers alongside personnel transferred from the federal force.
It added that the first batch of recruits would be enrolled in phase two, with deployment commencing in phase three, while a mandatory 40-hour Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programme would be instituted for all officers.
The report further highlighted the need for a National Police Intelligence Portal, a national criminal records system, and an upgraded Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), alongside full ICT integration across all state and federal police formations.
It estimated that national ICT infrastructure alone would cost between N65 billion and N95 billion, with full integration expected by the final phase.
The committee stressed the importance of safeguarding officers’ rights, noting that no personnel should be involuntarily dismissed and that pension and welfare entitlements must be protected.
It concluded that the 60-month transition period represents the minimum timeframe required to restructure the country’s policing architecture, citing the need to redeploy over 273,000 officers, establish 37 police services, enact legal frameworks, and build critical infrastructure without disrupting public security.
