Senator Smart Adeyemi has commended the Kogi State House of Assembly for passing amendments to the Police Act that pave the way for a state police force. He called the move a bold and timely step toward strengthening security and protecting lives and property.
Adeyemi also praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as the political will to advance a landmark change in Nigeria’s security architecture. He called the president a reformist who deserves commendation.
He also credited Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo with providing an enabling environment for the Assembly to complete the task.
“I commend President Tinubu for advancing the state police initiative. It is an important milestone in the effort to build a security system better suited to Nigeria’s diverse challenges,” Adeyemi said.
The former lawmaker said his support goes beyond his identity as a Kogi indigene. He recalled that he consistently advocated police reform during his service in the 6th and 7th Senates, particularly as a member of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review.
“I canvassed for a dual policing structure of the federal and state for more effective, responsive and better equipped policing to address the peculiar security challenges of our communities,” he said. “I believed then, as I do today, that our policing system must evolve to meet the realities of our time.”
“The approval of the State Police law by the Kogi State House of Assembly is therefore a moment of great satisfaction for me,” he added. “It represents a significant step towards bringing security closer to the people and strengthening our capacity to confront crime.”
Adeyemi said Kogi stands to benefit considerably because of its strategic location, mineral resources and boundaries with seven other states. He said the state’s extensive mining activity and geographical position make effective intelligence gathering, community-based security and rapid response to threats particularly important.
“Kogi is blessed with enormous mineral resources, but these resources and our strategic location also present security challenges,” he said. “A well-structured state police system can help protect our communities, secure legitimate mining activities, disrupt criminal networks and improve the flow of local intelligence.”
He expressed confidence in the state government’s capacity to support the proposed police structure, noting that it had shown commendable commitment to assisting federal police operating in Kogi.
“If the Kogi State Government has provided strong support for the federal police to discharge their duties, I am confident that it will give even greater attention to its own police service,” he said. “The people of Kogi deserve a security system that understands their terrain, responds swiftly to their concerns and works closely with their communities.”
Adeyemi called on the state government and relevant institutions to ensure credible recruitment, adequate training, intelligence-led operations and effective oversight in implementing the new framework. He urged political leaders to rise above partisan interests and support reforms that would make citizens safer, stressing that security is a shared responsibility.
“Security is the foundation of development,” he said. “When our people are safe, our farms can thrive, businesses can grow, investments can flourish and our mineral resources can be harnessed responsibly. This development must ultimately be measured by the lives it protects and the peace it brings to our communities.”
He added that the development confirms that the government’s primary purpose, the security of lives and property, is now receiving priority attention.
