Community, State Policing to Take Off Soon — President Assures CAN

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured Nigerians that the establishment of community and state policing structures will soon materialise once the National Assembly concludes the necessary legislative processes, describing the move as a major shift in the nation’s security strategy.

The President gave the assurance on Friday while receiving a delegation of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), led by its President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, at his Lagos residence.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said his administration was recalibrating the country’s security architecture to achieve concrete outcomes. He noted that the adoption of new strategies would alter Nigeria’s security narrative and rebuild public confidence.
According to the President, although the nation remains largely peaceful, the vastness of ungoverned spaces continues to pose significant challenges. He stressed that the situation was being addressed and called for vigilance, cooperation and sustained engagement with faith-based organisations.
Tinubu emphasised that legislative approval was crucial for the commencement of sub-national policing. He explained that security reforms required patience, particularly in the procurement of military hardware.
He noted that delays in acquiring critical equipment, especially air assets, had affected public perception, but maintained that the government remained resolute. Tinubu disclosed that orders for four attack helicopters from the United States would take time to be delivered, adding that Nigeria had also approached Turkey for assistance.
Commenting on the recent abduction and release of schoolchildren in Niger and Kebbi states, the President urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, stressing that outcomes were more important than rhetoric.
Responding on behalf of the delegation, Archbishop Okoh assured the President of the Church’s continued support, describing him as “our President” and pledging cooperation.
He acknowledged the palliatives extended to CAN during religious festivals and commended the President’s commitment to tackling security and socio-economic challenges. Okoh said the administration’s engagement had helped bridge the gap between the government and the Church.
The CAN President also appealed for direct engagement through the association’s structures across the country’s 774 local government areas and requested the release of funds to the Christian Pilgrims’ Board to enable it to carry out its mandate.
Members of the delegation included CAN Vice President, Rev. Dr Stephen Panya Baba; President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Bishop Francis Wale Oke; representatives of the Organisation of African Instituted Churches, the Catholic and Methodist blocs, as well as the CAN Chairman in Lagos State, Bishop Stephen Adegbite.