Despite the recent surge in violent attacks across several states, the National Economic Council (NEC) on Thursday postponed discussions on the creation of state police, deferring the matter to its next meeting.
Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State, who briefed State House correspondents after the council’s 149th session held at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, confirmed that while the issue of state police was listed on the agenda, it was not addressed due to time constraints.
“State police was part of our agenda today, but unfortunately, because of time demands, and after a very long meeting, we have been there for a very long time now, the presentations could not get to that point. So, I assure you that in our next meeting, that issue will be exhaustively discussed,” Governor Diri said.
The meeting, which lasted nearly four hours, ended without a clear timeline for revisiting the matter. Although NEC sessions are traditionally held on the last Thursday of each month, recent gatherings have been irregular. Since December 2024, the council has only convened once—in February 2025—without addressing the anticipated policing reform.
All 36 state governments have submitted reports endorsing a decentralised policing framework, yet the council has continuously deferred substantive debate on the issue.
Meanwhile, Thursday’s meeting was marked by a solemn moment as governors observed a minute of silence in honour of victims of recent attacks in Plateau, Benue, Borno, and Enugu states.