President Bola Tinubu has transmitted a Constitution Alteration Bill seeking the establishment of state police to the Senate, marking a significant step towards one of the most far-reaching security reforms in Nigeria’s democratic history.
The proposed legislation seeks to amend key provisions of the 1999 Constitution to create a legal framework that would allow individual states to establish and operate their own police services alongside existing federal security structures.
The development comes months after President Tinubu intensified calls for constitutional reforms aimed at decentralising policing powers and enabling state governments to play a more active role in securing their territories.
The Presidency and several state governors have argued that the current centralised policing system is overstretched and requires structural reforms to address evolving security threats across the country.
In February, Tinubu urged the National Assembly to amend the Constitution to accommodate state police, describing the measure as critical to combating terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
The renewed push for reform follows persistent security challenges in several parts of the country despite gains recorded by security agencies.
During his Democracy Day address earlier this month, Tinubu vowed that terrorists, bandits and their sponsors would face the full weight of the law.
“No mercy will be shown to enemies of the state,” the President said while highlighting ongoing military and security operations nationwide.
Tinubu disclosed that more than 13,000 terrorists had been neutralised within the previous year and said terrorism-related deaths had declined significantly compared with earlier periods.
However, the President acknowledged that the continued captivity of schoolchildren abducted in Oyo and Borno states remains a painful reminder of the security challenges confronting the nation.
The state police proposal has generated intense national debate for more than a decade, with supporters arguing that local policing would improve intelligence gathering, response times and community engagement.
Critics, however, have expressed concerns that state governors could misuse state-controlled police forces for political purposes, particularly during elections and periods of political tension.
Despite those concerns, momentum behind the reform has grown in recent months, with both chambers of the National Assembly advancing constitutional amendment processes aimed at devolving certain policing responsibilities to state governments.
The Senate is expected to reconvene for an emergency plenary session to consider the proposed legislation as lawmakers move to advance what many observers describe as a landmark security reform.
If passed by the National Assembly and approved through the constitutional amendment process, the bill could fundamentally reshape Nigeria’s policing architecture and redefine the relationship between federal and state authorities in maintaining public safety.
Mariam Balogun is a contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
