The National Economic Council is set to reconvene later this month as more state governments have submitted their reports on the establishment of state police, as reported by The PUNCH. This development emerged on Monday, with reports indicating that at least 10 states have initiated the deployment of forest guards to safeguard farmers and combat banditry.
During a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and governors in February, the Federal Government and states agreed to recruit forest rangers and enhance training to ensure the safety of forests and borders. The Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, confirmed this agreement after the meeting.
At the 140th NEC meeting held at the Aso Rock Villa on March 21, reports from 16 state governors expressing support for establishing state police were received. Recommendations for constitutional amendments to facilitate this process were also made.
According to the Vice President’s spokesperson, Mr Stanley Nkwocha, NEC is still awaiting reports from 20 states, expressing optimism that others would lend their support. Although specifics regarding the states were not disclosed, Mr. Nebeolisa Anako, the Council’s Secretary, confirmed that more states had submitted their reports.
While the next NEC meeting is slated for April 18, Anako indicated that the exact date for April’s gathering would be confirmed after the holidays.
The establishment of state police gained momentum after the Federal and state governments resolved to develop modalities to address the country’s security challenges. Mohammed Idris emphasized that further discussions were needed to finalize the setup of state police, with ongoing legislative efforts to amend the constitution accordingly.
A bill proposing the creation of state police passed the second reading in the House of Representatives on February 20, 2024, signaling growing support for the initiative. Lawmakers cited the urgency of tackling security challenges as the primary motivation behind their backing of the bill.
The Presidency reiterated that while the President endorsed the creation of state police and forest guards, the success of these initiatives ultimately rested with the governors. A Presidency official highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen existing forest guards and deploy additional resources in collaboration with state governments.
Various states, including Ogun, Plateau, Osun, Ekiti, Kebbi, Bayelsa, Benue, and Sokoto, have taken proactive measures in line with the President’s directive. These include recruitment drives for forest guards and collaboration with security agencies to protect farmlands and forests.
In Gombe State, calls have been made for the recruitment of more forest guards to address inadequacies in current operations. Ismail Birma, Founder of the Jewel Environmental Initiative, emphasized the need for additional manpower to effectively safeguard forests and combat criminal activities.
