We will give them arms – Tinubu assures Nigerians of equipping state police to fight insecurity

President Bola Tinubu has announced that the operatives of the proposed state police will be fully armed as part of a new strategy to tackle Nigeria’s long-standing security challenges.

The president made the declaration during a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held on Friday at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja.

In addition to state police, President Tinubu disclosed plans to create a force of forest rangers, who he said would also be equipped with weapons to combat terrorism and banditry across the nation.

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“We are going for state police. We will do forest rangers. We will arm them. We will defeat those terrorists and bandits, we must do that,” he stated.

This commitment follows a recent spike in killings and other criminal activities that have caused widespread turmoil. In response, the president had previously promised to establish local police forces in the states.

While the National Assembly has shown support for the creation of a local force, some stakeholders remain concerned about the potential for abuse by state governors. Nevertheless, the move is seen as a significant step in the government’s efforts to restore security.