President Bola Tinubu says he is certain that the formation of state police would boost national security.

The president said this on Thursday night while addressing governors elected on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform at the party’s caucus gathering at the State House in Abuja.

Tinubu stated that he recently informed US and European leaders at a meeting on the development of state police as a means of improving security.

“I had a very long discussion with the US and European leaders. I was bragging to them that definitely we will pass a state police to improve security,” he said.

“They asked me if I’m confident, and I said, ‘Yes, I have a party to depend on. I have a party that will make it happen. And if at this level we fail, God forbid, we will not fail.”

He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to implementing the supreme court ruling on LG autonomy and called for practical and effective implementation of the order.

“Let us equally look at the recent supreme court judgement. What can we do with it, and how well we can position our country and our party?” he asked.

“To me, the local government autonomy is and must be effective. Let us give them. There is no autonomy without a funded mandate.

“We give them their money directly. That’s the truth. That’s compliance with the supreme court.”

He urged the governors to be flexible and get involved in the happenings in their respective states.

“You have to navigate this country; whether we like it or not, you are in the leadership position that must yield and continue to promote, tolerate and be flexible and get involved in whatever is happening in your various states, up to the local government level,” Tinubu said.

The president stated that governors must take leadership seriously, emphasising that direct support for local governments is unavoidable for true independence.