By Seun Ibiyemi
Newly sworn-in Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, on Wednesday declared his support for the establishment of state police, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s push for security reforms.
Disu spoke with State House correspondents shortly after he was sworn in as the 23rd Inspector-General of Police at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
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The brief ceremony, held ahead of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, was attended by top government officials and family members of the appointees.
At the event, President Tinubu also administered the oath of office on six commissioners of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and two commissioners of the Federal Civil Service Commission.
Addressing concerns over the proposed creation of state police, Disu disclosed that a committee had been set up within the Nigeria Police to examine the issue and ensure the Force plays an active role in shaping the reform.
“The committee was set up early this morning to look into the issue of state police from the angle of the Nigerian Police,” he said.
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“We don’t want it to seem as if others are taking decisions and we, the most important people concerned, did not do anything.
“State police has come to stay and the police should be able to contribute their own part in making it succeed.”
He dismissed fears that decentralising policing would weaken the Force, describing the move as a partnership rather than a threat to existing structures.
“The police are not afraid, our jobs are not being taken; it is just an issue of partnership,” he said.
Beyond structural reforms, Disu identified welfare of officers and restoration of security nationwide as key priorities of his administration.
He acknowledged longstanding concerns about poor working conditions and stressed the need to motivate officers for optimal performance.
“One of the issues that the police have over the years is the welfare of their officers,” he noted, adding that only well-motivated personnel could give their best in such a demanding profession.
Highlighting the risks associated with policing, Disu recalled that 140 officers lost their lives in a single year during his tenure in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“Our jobs are very difficult; men sleep out and a lot of people don’t have time to go back to their families,” he said. “I’m lucky to be working with a president who has made up his mind to give us whatever we want.”
The FEC meeting commenced shortly after the swearing-in ceremony, with Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation Esther Walson-Jack, among other ministers, in attendance.
