A bill seeking to establish State Police and transfer certain policing powers to state governments has passed second reading in the Senate, marking a significant step in efforts to reform Nigeria’s security architecture and tackle growing security challenges across the country.
The proposed legislation, which enjoys widespread support among senators across party lines, was referred by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution for further legislative scrutiny.
Leading the debate on the bill during plenary, Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, said the proposal was designed to strengthen internal security by creating both Federal and State Police structures, each with clearly defined responsibilities.
He noted that Nigeria continues to face a wide range of security threats, including terrorism, banditry, mass abductions, farmer-herder clashes, armed robbery, cultism, communal conflicts, pipeline vandalism and emerging cyber-related crimes.
According to Bamidele, increasing public calls for State Police stem from concerns that the current centralized policing system is unable to effectively address local and evolving security challenges across the federation.
The Senate Leader explained that the bill seeks to modernize Nigeria’s security framework by transferring policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, thereby allowing states to establish and operate their own police services within a constitutional framework.
He added that the legislation would create State Police Service Commissions, strengthen cooperative federalism and provide mechanisms for coordination between federal and state law enforcement agencies.
Bamidele argued that the proposed amendment would not undermine national unity but rather enhance the effectiveness of governance by enabling different levels of government to carry out their constitutional responsibilities more efficiently.
Addressing concerns about possible abuse of State Police by governors, he said the bill contains several safeguards to ensure accountability and prevent political interference.
Among the safeguards are the establishment of State Police Service Commissions, oversight by the Federal Police Service Commission, uniform national policing standards, legislative confirmation of senior appointments, constitutional procedures for the removal of State Commissioners of Police, periodic reviews of State Police operations and federal intervention mechanisms in cases of severe breakdown of law and order.
“These safeguards are intended to create a balanced framework that combines operational autonomy with accountability and constitutional oversight,” Bamidele stated.
He maintained that security is most effective when it is localized, arguing that officers who understand the language, culture and terrain of their communities are better positioned to identify and prevent criminal activities before they escalate.
The Senate Leader also said State Police would improve intelligence gathering, enhance community policing, build public trust in law enforcement and ensure quicker responses to security emergencies.
According to him, decentralizing policing would also reduce pressure on the Nigeria Police Force, allowing federal authorities to focus on interstate crimes, terrorism, organized criminal networks, border security, cybercrime and the protection of national assets.
Bamidele further argued that the proposal aligns with the principles of federalism, noting that many federal nations operate multi-layered policing systems.
He cited countries such as United States, Canada, Australia and Germany, where state or provincial police agencies work alongside federal law enforcement bodies.
Following the lead debate, several senators, particularly from Northern Nigeria, voiced support for the bill, describing State Police as a critical solution to the country’s persistent security challenges.
Among them was the Chief Whip of the Senate, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, who said the proposed legislation would help address the growing proliferation of vigilante groups across the country.
Monguno noted that the bill would provide a legal framework for the establishment and operation of State Police, enabling them to effectively discharge their responsibilities while ensuring proper regulation, oversight and accountability.
The bill will now undergo further consideration by the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Constitutional Review before returning to the National Assembly for the next stage of the legislative process.
