President Bola Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Nigeria’s security training institutions as part of sweeping reforms to strengthen the fight against crime and insecurity across the country.
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, who chairs the National Economic Council (NEC) committee overseeing the overhaul, made the announcement at the Police Training College, Ikeja, Lagos, during the committee’s inspection tour of security facilities nationwide.
Mbah explained that the initiative stemmed from the President’s proposal at the 152nd NEC meeting two weeks ago, where he expressed deep concern over the dilapidated condition of training facilities for security personnel across the country.
He stressed that the decision was not a reaction to recent comments by US President Donald Trump but a proactive move by Tinubu to rebuild Nigeria’s security capacity from the ground up.
“The President recognises the need for bold and urgent steps to restore the pride, professionalism, and confidence of men and women in the security space,” Mbah said. “You cannot expect our personnel to perform optimally when trained in inhumane environments. This must change.”
The committee — which includes governors Uba Sani (Kaduna), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Kefas Agbu (Taraba), Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), and Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), with former Inspector-General of Police Baba Usman as secretary — is expected to submit its report within 30 days.
Mbah added that two teams have been deployed to assess facilities in the North and South, with consultants conducting a comprehensive audit to identify rebuilding and equipment needs.
He confirmed that the emergency declaration aligns with Tinubu’s recent approval for the recruitment of 30,000 new police officers, noting that adequate training infrastructure is essential for the exercise.
“This is an emergency, and we are treating it with the seriousness it deserves,” Mbah concluded.
