From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, met on Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, but postponed discussions on state police despite escalating insecurity.
Attendees included governors, Rivers State Sole Administrator Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, Delta Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, and CBN Governor Yemi Cardoso.
Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri told reporters that state police was on the agenda but was sidelined due to time constraints from lengthy presentations. “State police was part of our agenda, but we couldn’t discuss it due to time demands. I assure you, it will be exhaustively discussed next meeting,” he said.
The deferment, following a similar delay in February 2025, has raised concerns, as many Nigerians support decentralised policing to tackle localised security challenges.
The Council observed a minute’s silence for over 100 victims of recent attacks in Plateau, Benue, Zamfara, and Kwara, largely attributed to armed herdsmen. Diri noted NEC’s sympathy and urged media coverage of the gesture. NEC endorsed cattle ranching to mitigate farmer-herder conflicts, a key driver of violence, as a long-term solution.
State police discussions, ongoing since 2023, saw 36 states submit positions by November 2024, with most favouring the initiative due to rising insecurity. Delays persisted, with January 2025 talks postponed due to a governors’ emergency meeting. The April deferment, the third since December 2024, underscores the need for stakeholder consensus and constitutional amendments.
Addressing unpaid allowances for the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) pilot in Nasarawa since November 2023, Governor Abdullahi Sule explained that the NLTP, a collaboration with the Netherlands, faced funding issues post-2023 elections, halting expansion.
“The programme was successful in Nasarawa, but funding disputes stalled progress,” he said. The Minister of Livestock Development presented a new strategy to build on NLTP, with trained herders now in programmes like Ruga.
Sule clarified that allowing farming on idle NLTP ranch land prevents degradation, not encroachment. Diri praised the ministry’s cattle ranching focus as a modern solution to farmer-herder clashes, saying, “It’s a step toward peacebuilding.” NEC expects to prioritise state police at its next meeting to address Nigeria’s security crisis.