Nigeria has taken its campaign for the establishment of state police to the United Nations, seeking international support for a reform aimed at strengthening internal security and improving public trust in law enforcement.

Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Jimoh Ibrahim, made this known during a meeting with UN police advisers in New York.

He said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to reforming the country’s policing structure through decentralisation and other institutional changes.

According to Mr Ibrahim, the proposed state police system will improve crime prevention, enhance operational efficiency and ensure better deployment of officers across the country.

He said the federal government is prepared to provide the logistics and equipment needed to support the new policing framework.

Mr Ibrahim added that the reform is designed to address concerns over police accountability and rebuild confidence between security agencies and local communities.

He noted that Nigeria is also engaging the United Nations and other international partners to support the initiative.

The envoy highlighted Nigeria’s contributions to global peacekeeping, stating that more than 13,000 Nigerian police officers have served in UN missions in countries such as Liberia, Sudan and Mali.

He urged the United Nations to strengthen strategies for tackling emerging threats, including cybercrime and artificial intelligence-related crimes.

Mr Ibrahim said the Nigerian Senate is working on the legal framework required to establish state police.

Also speaking, Dolapo Badmos said Nigeria remains committed to promoting global peace and security.

She stressed that effective policing must be professional, accountable and community-centred to meet today’s security challenges.

[NAN]