President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally forwarded a constitutional amendment bill to the Senate seeking legal backing for the establishment of state police.
The proposed bill seeks to amend sections of the 1999 Constitution to allow states to create and operate their own police organisations under a regulated constitutional framework.
The move comes amid worsening security challenges across parts of Nigeria and increasing calls for a policing system that gives state governments greater control over internal security.
Tinubu has repeatedly argued that Nigeria’s current security structure needs to be reformed to strengthen cooperation between the federal and state governments in fighting crime.
Earlier this year, the President urged lawmakers to support constitutional amendments that would make state police possible, describing the reform as necessary to tackle terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
During his Democracy Day address, Tinubu said his administration remained committed to restoring peace and security across the country.
He stated that thousands of terrorists had been eliminated over the past year and noted a reduction in terrorism-related deaths.
However, the President acknowledged that the continued abduction of schoolchildren in some parts of the country showed that more work was needed to strengthen security operations.
If the bill receives the required approval from the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly, governors would be empowered to establish police services designed to address the specific security needs of their states.
Supporters believe state police would improve intelligence gathering, strengthen community policing and allow faster responses to local threats.
Opponents, however, have raised concerns that state-controlled police formations could be misused by political leaders against perceived opponents.
The bill is expected to trigger major debate in the Senate as lawmakers consider its possible impact on Nigeria’s federal structure and the future of security management.
Reactions:
State police is long overdue. Nigeria is too large for one central police structure to handle effectively.
The concern is valid: there must be strong checks to prevent governors from using police officers against political opponents.
Community intelligence will improve if officers are recruited from and understand the areas they serve.
The National Assembly should focus on safeguards, funding, training and accountability—not just creating new police formations.
Security has become too serious for Nigeria to keep relying on the same system without reforms.
Published by Ejoh Caleb
