President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a state of emergency on Nigeria’s security training institutions, describing their deteriorating condition as a national risk to the country’s internal security system.
The move targets facilities belonging to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other allied agencies responsible for law enforcement and national protection.
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, who chairs the National Economic Council (NEC) ad-hoc committee on the overhaul of security training institutions, confirmed the development during an inspection tour of facilities in Lagos. Mbah said the President’s directive followed months of assessments that revealed alarming decay in infrastructure, obsolete equipment, and poor living conditions for trainees.
“What we have observed today aligns with what President Tinubu emphasized on October 23, when he inaugurated this ad-hoc committee,” Mbah stated. “The President recognized the urgent need to restore pride, professionalism, and confidence among security personnel. We have a 30-day mandate to submit a full report.”
The governor revealed that the committee, split into northern and southern teams, is conducting a nationwide audit of all security training centres, working alongside consultants to determine what should be rebuilt, re-equipped, or digitalized. According to him, the goal is to establish an intervention fund that will finance the reconstruction and modernization of these institutions.
“The President has approved the recruitment of 30,000 new police officers, but this cannot succeed without adequate training facilities,” Mbah added. “Many of these schools were built in the 1940s and 1950s. We cannot train a 21st-century police force using 20th-century tools. Our focus includes introducing digital training in artificial intelligence, robotics, and mechatronics, skills essential for modern policing.”
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He further stressed that the initiative was not a reaction to recent foreign remarks or political events, particularly the comments made by former U.S. President Donald Trump, but rather a proactive step that began before those developments. “This is about long-term reform. The President is determined to rebuild our institutions from the ground up,” he said.
Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, former Inspector General of Police Alkali Usman Baba, and Assistant Inspector General Olatunji Disu were also part of the Lagos inspection. The committee is expected to deliver a comprehensive report to the NEC within 30 days to guide the next stage of reforms.
Analysts have described Tinubu’s move as one of the boldest security sector interventions in recent years, with the potential to reshape Nigeria’s policing and defense landscape. The plan underscores his administration’s growing emphasis on security modernization, professional training, and the integration of advanced technologies in law enforcement.
