The Nasarawa State Government has announced plans to set up a state police force to ensure faster response times to crimes and strengthen overall public safety, particularly in areas frequently targeted by bandits and criminal gangs.
The decision came exactly one week after President Bola Tinubu urged the National Assembly to allow states to establish their own police forces, ensuring quicker responses to local security challenges without relying solely on federal forces.
The government framed the proposal as an evolution of the state’s long-running investment in safety, arguing that current realities demand a more autonomous security architecture.
During a ministerial briefing in Lafia, Commissioner for Security and Sundry Matters, Usman Baba, noted that leaders are “too familiar with the daily burdens citizens face” to remain passive while insecurity tests public confidence.
Baba explained that Nasarawa has treated security as a front-burner issue since Governor Abdullahi Sule assumed office in 2019.
The former police commissioner said this commitment is reflected in the steady supply of operational vehicles, equipment, and logistics support to existing security formations. He stressed that the governor remains intent on making the state conducive for investors and stable for residents.
Baba described the administration’s approach as “hands-on,” adding that Governor Sule routinely engages security chiefs whenever incidents arise. “The governor does not rest when people are in danger,” he said.
Speaking further, the commissioner outlined efforts to protect schools, worship centres, and other vulnerable locations, revealing that personnel have already been stationed at black-spot schools and major religious sites across all 13 local government areas.
He added that the state is prepared to activate a formal state police agency once the constitution grants approval. “We are more than ready to establish a State Police Force when the law finally opens that door.”
On kidnapping, Baba gave assurances that coordinated operations involving security agencies, vigilantes, and neighbourhood watch groups are ongoing.
He warned that the state would soon become “uncomfortable terrain for kidnappers,” insisting that offenders would face firm prosecution.
The Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, Ibrahim Tanko, urged residents to support the government’s efforts by reporting strange activities and protecting public infrastructure.
He reminded communities that security cannot rely solely on state machinery, adding that “safety becomes sustainable only when people take ownership of their surroundings.”
