Presidency seeks private sector funding for state Police

The Presidency has called on the organised private sector to develop a sustainable financing and implementation plan for the proposed state police system, warning that inadequate funding could undermine the reform.

The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, Femi Gbajabiamila, made the call during a session on “Security, Stability and Economic Resilience” at the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja.

Gbajabiamila challenged the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), chambers of commerce and business associations to propose practical funding and management arrangements for state police, including measures to guarantee accountability.

He said the business community had a direct stake in the success of the reform, noting that insecurity had resulted in abandoned investments, delayed factory expansions and lost economic opportunities.

According to him, President Tinubu’s commitment to establishing state police presents an opportunity for businesses to contribute to building security institutions capable of supporting economic growth.

He urged the NESG to sustain the discussions beyond the summit by engaging state governments and lawmakers on workable financing and implementation arrangements.

“Bring forward a considered private sector contribution on financing and implementing state police, with practical proposals for accountable partnerships,” he said.

Gbajabiamila, however, cautioned that private sector participation must be transparent and must not compromise police independence.

He stressed that states seeking to establish their own police services must demonstrate the financial capacity to sustain their operations.

Providing vehicles, uniforms and other equipment at the initial stage would be insufficient without reliable funding for salaries, training and equipment maintenance, he said.

He warned that irregular payment of officers’ salaries could expose them to undue influence from private interests and pressure to meet unlawful demands.

The Chief of Staff also assured Nigerians that the federal police would continue to operate in states that were not financially or institutionally prepared to establish their own police services.

Addressing concerns that state police could be used to intimidate political opponents, Gbajabiamila said the proposed legislation would incorporate safeguards, national professional standards and independent oversight to prevent abuse.