The Senate has passed a bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution to establish state police services across Nigeria, marking a major step toward restructuring the country’s security architecture.
The legislation, which secured the support of more than two-thirds of senators, proposes a dual policing framework comprising a Federal Police Service and separate State Police Services.
The bill was considered after its general principles were presented by Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele. It subsequently scaled second reading, underwent clause-by-clause consideration and was passed at third reading.
A central provision of the proposed amendment empowers state governors to appoint Commissioners of Police for their respective states, subject to confirmation by state Houses of Assembly.
Under Clause 17 of the bill, a State Police Service will be headed by a Commissioner of Police appointed by the governor on the recommendation of the National Police Council. The appointment will also be subject to qualifications and national minimum standards prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly.
The legislation further outlines the operational relationship between governors and state police commands. It provides that governors may issue lawful written directives of a general policy nature to state Commissioners of Police on matters relating to public safety and order within their states.
To address concerns about potential abuse of the proposed policing structure, lawmakers included safeguards aimed at protecting political freedoms and civil liberties.
One of the provisions specifically states that a state Commissioner of Police shall not arrest, detain, investigate or deploy force against any individual, political party or group solely for criticising the government except in accordance with the law.
The clause is intended to prevent the use of state police against political opponents, activists, journalists and other dissenting voices while ensuring adherence to due process and existing legal provisions.
The bill also grants the Federal Police Service limited powers to intervene in state security matters under specific circumstances.
According to the proposed amendment, federal authorities may temporarily assume operational responsibility over a state police service where there is an actual or imminent breakdown of public order that a state police command is unable or unwilling to contain, or where the governor formally requests federal intervention.
Any such intervention must be authorised in writing by the President and must clearly state the reasons, scope, territory and duration of the action. Notification must also be provided within 48 hours to the governor, the state House of Assembly, the National Police Council and the National Assembly.
The legislation further stipulates that no federal intervention can continue beyond a period prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly unless approved by a resolution of the Senate.
The Senate’s approval came a day after President Bola Tinubu transmitted the bill to the National Assembly as part of broader efforts to reform Nigeria’s policing system and strengthen national security.
According to the President, the proposed constitutional amendment will provide a legal framework for states to establish and operate their own police services alongside the federal police.
Tinubu said the reform is aimed at enhancing security, improving public safety and allowing communities, municipalities and local government areas to play more active roles in policing and intelligence gathering.
The development represents a significant milestone in ongoing discussions about decentralising Nigeria’s security framework. Advocates of state police argue that the system would improve grassroots intelligence gathering, strengthen community policing and enable quicker responses to security threats.
However, critics have expressed concerns about possible political interference by governors, funding challenges and the potential for increased ethnic or communal tensions.
The renewed push for state police comes amid persistent security challenges across the country, including banditry, terrorism, communal conflicts and rising cases of kidnapping for ransom.
If eventually ratified by the required number of state Houses of Assembly and signed into law, the amendment could fundamentally reshape Nigeria’s policing structure and security governance.
