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President Bola Tinubu has formally transmitted a Constitution Alteration Bill seeking the establishment of state police to the Senate, marking a significant step toward one of Nigeria’s most far-reaching security reforms. The development was announced on Tuesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary, where he disclosed that lawmakers would begin consideration of the bill on Wednesday. The proposed legislation seeks to amend relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution to provide a legal framework for states to establish and operate their own police forces alongside the federal police structure.
According to Akpabio, state governments have also indicated their readiness to review the proposal once it is transmitted to the state assemblies, a crucial requirement for constitutional amendments. The move follows months of advocacy by Tinubu, who has repeatedly argued that Nigeria’s worsening security challenges require a decentralised policing system capable of responding more effectively to local threats. In February, the President urged the National Assembly to amend the Constitution to accommodate state police, describing the reform as essential in the fight against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other forms of violent crime.
Supporters of the proposal believe state police will improve intelligence gathering, strengthen community-based policing, and allow governors to respond more rapidly to security emergencies within their jurisdictions. The reform has gained renewed momentum following recent mass abductions in Oyo and Borno states, incidents that intensified public demands for stronger local security mechanisms. Security analysts have argued that Nigeria’s centrally controlled policing system has struggled to adequately address the diverse threats facing different regions of the country.
Despite broad support, the proposal continues to generate debate among stakeholders. Critics have warned that state police could be abused by some governors for political purposes and have raised concerns about funding, training standards, accountability, and coordination with federal security agencies. Nevertheless, the bill represents the closest Nigeria has come to implementing state policing after decades of constitutional and political debates. If approved by the National Assembly and subsequently endorsed by at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly, the amendment would fundamentally reshape the country’s security architecture.
