President Bola Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Nigeria’s police and security training institutions as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s response to rising insecurity.
The announcement was made by Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, who also chairs the National Economic Council (NEC) Committee on the overhaul of security training institutions. Mbah disclosed this during the committee’s inspection tour at the Police Training College in Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday.
He explained that the initiative followed the president’s proposal at the 152nd NEC meeting held two weeks ago, where Tinubu expressed serious concern over the deteriorating state of security training facilities nationwide.
Mbah emphasized that the president’s decision was not linked to recent remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump about Nigeria’s security challenges. Instead, he said the move was a proactive measure aimed at rebuilding capacity, professionalism, and morale among law enforcement officers.
“You cannot expect our men and women, who protect our communities and uphold law and order, to be trained in inhumane conditions,” Mbah said. “This is not a reactionary measure but a forward-thinking move to restore pride and professionalism.”
The governor revealed that the committee includes several state leaders — 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 Usman Baba serving as secretary.
He added that the president directed the committee to submit a comprehensive report within 30 days after assessing facilities across the country. To fast-track the process, the committee has been divided into two teams — one covering northern states and the other visiting southern regions.
Mbah also confirmed that consultants would conduct a technical audit to determine the needs for rebuilding, equipping, and sustaining training institutions.
“The president saw this as an emergency,” Mbah stressed. “There will be targeted interventions for rebuilding and modernizing these institutions.”
Tinubu’s declaration comes as the federal government prepares to recruit 30,000 new police officers, a move that hinges on upgrading the nation’s overstretched and outdated training centers.
“We cannot implement new recruitment without adequate facilities,” Mbah said. “This is an emergency, and we’re treating it with the seriousness it deserves.”
The reform initiative is expected to restore discipline, confidence, and efficiency within Nigeria’s security architecture, long criticized for poor infrastructure and outdated training models.