The National Economic Council (NEC) meeting chaired by Vice president Kashim Shettima has postponed deliberations on state policing.

This was disclosed by the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Dr Hadiza Balarabe while briefing State House correspondents after the NEC meeting on Thursday.

Ministers and governors who addressed journalists were initially silent on the issue of state police.

However, following questions from journalists, the Kaduna State deputy governor said the issue was shifted to the next NEC meeting because of the number of memos that were up for deliberations.

She said: “Today had been a long day. Most of the governors are tired since morning. Also with the Vice President and with so many memos that had to be taken, the issue of state police has been shelved to the next meeting”.

Before now, council had deferred the final resolutions on the creation of state police to January after majority of the 36 states had submitted their submissions on the issue with many of them in support.

The agitation for state police in the country recently gained prominence following the prevailing insecurity in the country.

After the last NEC meeting last year, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, told journalists that the process would only take shape after more deliberations with stakeholders.

He said, “A lot of work must be done in that direction. But if our government and the state governments agree to the necessity of having state police, this is a significant shift.” (Daily Trust)