The Senate on Wednesday passed a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police services across Nigeria, marking a significant step toward restructuring the country’s policing system.
The proposed legislation was approved after lawmakers considered and adopted its 26 clauses during the Committee of the Whole.
The bill aims to create a constitutional framework that allows states to operate their own police services alongside the existing Nigeria Police Force. It is designed to strengthen security, enhance intelligence gathering, and improve responses to local security challenges.
Leading the debate, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele described the bill as one of the most important constitutional reforms since Nigeria’s return to democratic governance. He noted that the legislation was transmitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu.
According to Bamidele, the current centralized policing structure has come under increasing strain due to the growing complexity of security threats, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes, cybercrime, and organized criminal activities.
He explained that while the federal police would remain in place, states wishing to establish police services would be required to enact enabling laws through their respective Houses of Assembly and comply with national standards set by the National Assembly.
Under the proposed arrangement, the federal police would continue to handle matters such as counter-terrorism, organized crime, cybercrime, border security, arms trafficking, and policing of the Federal Capital Territory. State police services, on the other hand, would be responsible for enforcing state laws, maintaining public order, preventing and detecting crimes within their jurisdictions, and protecting lives and property.
Bamidele emphasized that the bill contains safeguards to prevent political misuse of state police. The legislation prohibits governors from directing state police to unlawfully target individuals, political parties, groups, or associations. It also bars the use of police powers for partisan, ethnic, religious, sectional, or personal interests.
During the debate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) revealed that although he had previously opposed the creation of state police, Nigeria’s worsening security situation had changed his position.
He, however, stressed that the provisions of the legislation that would operationalize state police remain critical, warning against excessive presidential powers to take over state police services.
Abaribe also called for constitutional guarantees to ensure direct funding for state police commissions, arguing that such measures would prevent political interference and protect operational independence.
Similarly, Senator Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto South) expressed support for the bill, describing state police as an important step toward strengthening federalism in Nigeria.
Tambuwal cited recurring security challenges in Sokoto State as evidence of the need for alternative security approaches and urged lawmakers to support all initiatives aimed at tackling insecurity nationwide.
He also echoed concerns about the need for strong safeguards to prevent abuse of state police powers by state governments.
For the constitutional amendment to become law, the bill must still receive approval from at least two-thirds of the State Houses of Assembly before being forwarded to President Tinubu for assent.
