The Federal Government has inaugurated a National Economic Council (NEC) Committee to review and overhaul security training institutions across the country.
Chairman of the committee and Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, disclosed this during an inspection visit to the Police College, Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday. He said the committee was established to assess the state of training facilities and recommend reforms to improve professionalism and capacity in Nigeria’s security sector.
Co-chairman and Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, clarified that the committee’s creation preceded the recent security challenges in the country.
The seven-member committee includes the governors of Enugu, Ogun, Akwa Ibom, Taraba, Nasarawa, Kaduna, and Zamfara states, with former Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, serving as secretary. It has 30 days to submit a report on the condition of all security training institutions, particularly those of the police, to the NEC.
Divided into northern and southern inspection teams, the committee began its assessment with a visit to Lagos, where members met with the Commandant of the Police College, Assistant Inspector General of Police Omolara Oloruntola.
During the visit, Oloruntola revealed that most of the college’s infrastructure had not been upgraded since its establishment in 1949, with decaying structures, poor electricity, and lack of water affecting training conditions.
Governor Mbah described the situation as consistent with President Bola Tinubu’s recognition of the need for urgent intervention in security training facilities.
“What we have seen here today validates Mr. President’s concern that we cannot train our security officers in inhumane or obsolete environments,” Mbah said. “The President has approved this ad hoc committee to overhaul training institutions of the police and the civil defence corps to restore pride, professionalism, and confidence in our security agencies.”
He added that the Federal Government plans to establish an intervention fund to rebuild and modernize security training centers. “With the President’s approval for the recruitment of 30,000 police personnel, we must ensure the institutions are adequately equipped to train them,” he stated.
Mbah emphasized that the reform will incorporate digital tools and 21st-century skills such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and mechatronics to modernize police training.
Governor Abiodun, on his part, reaffirmed the committee’s resolve to treat the assignment as a national emergency. “We have just 30 days to report back to the NEC. This intervention will be immediate because the status of these training institutions demands nothing less,” he said.
The committee is expected to present a comprehensive report, including cost estimates for renovation and re-equipping, at the next NEC meeting.
