State Police amendment bill passes Senate, paving the way for state-controlled policing to tackle insecurity and strengthen federalism
The Senate on Wednesday approved a constitutional amendment seeking to establish state police services across Nigeria, marking a significant step in one of the country’s most far-reaching security and governance reforms since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
Lawmakers passed the State Police Amendment Bill after considering and adopting its 26 clauses during the committee of the whole, paving the way for a dual policing structure that would allow state governments to establish and manage their own police services alongside the existing federal police system.
The proposed reform is designed to strengthen security architecture, improve intelligence gathering and enable faster responses to local security threats that many stakeholders argue have overwhelmed the country’s centralised policing framework.
Opening debate on the bill at the National Assembly in Abuja, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele described the legislation as a historic constitutional reform transmitted by President Bola Tinubu to address long-standing concerns about the effectiveness and responsiveness of policing in Nigeria.
“This important Bill is an Executive Bill transmitted by Mr. President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, seeking to alter the Constitution to provide for the establishment of State Police Services and other related matters,” Bamidele said.
“This Bill represents one of the most significant constitutional reforms in our nation’s democratic evolution.”
Bamidele argued that the growing complexity of security challenges, including terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, communal violence, farmer-herder conflicts, cybercrime and organised criminal activities, has placed enormous strain on the existing policing structure.
According to the proposed constitutional framework, states wishing to establish police services would be required to enact enabling legislation through their Houses of Assembly and comply with national minimum standards prescribed by the National Assembly.
While state police services would handle enforcement of state laws, crime prevention, public order and protection of lives and property within their jurisdictions, the federal police would retain responsibility for counter-terrorism operations, organised crime investigations, cybercrime, border security, arms trafficking and policing of the Federal Capital Territory.
A notable feature of the State Police Amendment Bill is the inclusion of safeguards aimed at preventing political abuse.
Bamidele said governors would be prohibited from directing state police services to unlawfully target individuals, political parties, ethnic groups, religious organisations or associations.
The bill also bars the use of police powers for partisan, sectional or personal interests.
The proposal received bipartisan support during deliberations, with several lawmakers describing it as a necessary response to the country’s worsening security situation.
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, representing Abia South, revealed that he had previously opposed state police but had reconsidered his position due to the scale of current security challenges.
“Mr. President, I used to be one of those that is against state police. Mark my words; I used to be,” Abaribe said.
“But today, we know that we have very serious insecurity problem that can only be solved by thinking outside the box. And I think that this is part of it.”
Despite his support, Abaribe expressed concerns about provisions expected in the legislation that will operationalise the constitutional amendment, particularly safeguards against misuse of authority.
He warned against granting excessive powers to the President to take control of a state police service under circumstances that could be politically motivated.
“We cannot have a situation where the president just looks at a state, maybe he’s not in good terms with the governor, and decides that he will take it over,” he said.
The senator also called for constitutional guarantees to ensure that funding allocated to state police commissions is protected from political interference.
“So that what we are seeing today, with regard to local government funds, we don’t have to see it with the police,” Abaribe added.
Former Sokoto State Governor and Senator Aminu Tambuwal also backed the bill, describing state police as a crucial component of true federalism.
“I am in support of this bill and I am in support of the idea of state police,” Tambuwal said.
“I have been consistent on this because I believe that that will also be a major leap into entrenchment of federalism in Nigeria.”
Tambuwal cited recurring attacks by bandits in Sokoto State as evidence that alternative security approaches are urgently required.
“Only about three or four years ago, in my senatorial district, we lost over 80 people in Dange Shuni local government.
Only three or four days ago, in the same local government, we lost some personnel of police that were there on rescue mission to send away bandits,” he said.
“This is needed. Every effort, any effort to curb this menace of insecurity in Nigeria is needed.”
The senator, however, echoed concerns about the need for robust safeguards to prevent abuse by state authorities.
The debate over state police has persisted for decades, with supporters arguing that local policing would improve intelligence gathering, community engagement and operational effectiveness, while critics have traditionally raised concerns about possible political manipulation by state governments.
The Senate’s approval represents a major milestone in the reform process, but the constitutional amendment is not yet final.
For the proposal to become law, the State Police Amendment Bill must secure the endorsement of at least two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 state Houses of Assembly before being transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
If approved nationwide, the reform would represent one of the most consequential changes to Nigeria’s security and governance structure in the democratic era, potentially reshaping policing and public safety across the federation.
Victory Emmanuel is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
