By Ebunoluwa Sessou

Leader of the Lagos State Governance Advisory Council (GAC), Prince Tajudeen Olusi, has thrown his weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the proposed establishment of state police, describing it as a step towards ensuring safety of lives and property across the country.

In the same vein, a member of Lagos Assembly, Mr. Gbolahan Yishawu, Eti-Osa Constituency 2, also declared his support on the issue describing it as a vital step in the Renewed Hope agenda to tackle insecurity and deepen true federalism.

The duo disclosed this at the 10th constituency stakeholder’s meeting organized by the Lagos State House of Assembly tagged, “Governance in Action: The Gains of the Renewed Hope Agenda’s held simultaneously on Thursday in all 40 constituencies.

Recall that, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu restated that the establishment of state police is “unavoidable” if Nigeria must overcome insecurity. Speaking at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during a visit by prominent Katsina leaders led by Governor Dikko Radda, the president emphasized that his administration is committed to confronting insecurity head-on through pragmatic reforms, including state policing.

Speaking with journalists, Olusi said that security remains the foundation of national stability, stressing that governors must be directly involved in protecting lives and property. According to him, President Tinubu’s call for state policing reflects a return to Nigeria’s earlier system of Native Authority police, which provided community-based security.

His words: “The issue of security is crucial in the affairs of the country. If you are not secure, you cannot sleep well or live freely in your homes, hence, the essence of Mr. President urging governors to take necessary steps.

“There must be police presence at local government and ward levels to gather intelligence and act swiftly. State policing is not new—it is a revival of what worked for us in the past, and it will benefit all Nigerians,” Olusi said.

In his reaction, Yishawu praised the president for putting mechanisms in place to decentralize governance, noting that devolution of power in critical sectors including electricity and transport has already yielded progress. He argued that policing should also be devolved to make security more effective.

“In true federalism, states should be the drivers of key policies. Just as devolving power generation has brought electricity closer to the people, devolving policing will help us fight insecurity more effectively. Yes, there will be challenges, but state police is the right way to go. Under Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, I believe it is not just possible, it is achievable,” he said.

He added that President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda is about reshaping governance to bring solutions closer to the people. “We can always amend the constitution to reflect the realities of our time. Hope drives change, and with hope, we can build a safer, stronger nation,” he said.