NEWS
STATE POLICE BILL: 29 STATE ASSEMBLIES BACK CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT AS TINUBU’S ASSENT BECOMES NEXT HURDLE
Nigeria has moved a significant step closer to the establishment of state police following the endorsement of the proposed constitutional amendment by 29 out of the 36 State Houses of Assembly, paving the way for the bill to be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, announced the development on Wednesday while presiding over plenary at the Green Chamber, describing the overwhelming support from state legislatures as a major milestone in the country’s quest to reform its policing architecture.
Kalu disclosed that the Clerk to the National Assembly would transmit the State Police Bill to President Tinubu later in the day, following the successful completion of the required legislative process.
The development represents a major breakthrough in Nigeria’s long-standing debate over decentralising the country’s security structure and granting state governments greater constitutional authority to establish and manage their own police formations.
With 29 state legislatures endorsing the proposed amendment, the bill has surpassed the constitutionally required threshold of 24 states, representing at least two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly. If the remaining constitutional procedures are successfully completed, the reform will fundamentally reshape Nigeria’s policing system, which has operated under a centralised structure controlled by the Federal Government since independence.
Under the proposed arrangement, individual states would be empowered to establish police institutions tailored to their peculiar security challenges, giving state authorities greater responsibility for maintaining law and order within their respective territories. The proposed reform is particularly significant against the backdrop of persistent security threats confronting different parts of the country, including banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, communal violence, armed robbery and other criminal activities.
Advocates of state police have consistently argued that Nigeria’s enormous geographical size, population and diverse security challenges make it increasingly difficult for a single centralised police structure to effectively respond to the peculiar needs of every community. They maintain that decentralised policing would improve intelligence gathering, accelerate emergency responses, strengthen community-based security operations and bring law enforcement closer to the people.
Beyond improving security coordination, the proposed arrangement is expected to give state governments greater flexibility in developing policing strategies that reflect the realities of their communities.
However, the anticipated establishment of state police also comes with important questions surrounding implementation, operational independence, funding, accountability and respect for citizens’ fundamental human rights.
One of the major concerns raised by critics is the possibility of political interference, particularly the potential misuse of state police formations by governors against political opponents, opposition parties, journalists and perceived critics of government. There are also questions about how state police institutions would be funded, regulated and coordinated with the existing Nigeria Police Force to prevent jurisdictional conflicts, institutional rivalry and operational confusion. These concerns are expected to shape discussions around the eventual implementation framework, particularly the safeguards required to guarantee professionalism, transparency and independence in the discharge of policing responsibilities.
Nevertheless, the endorsement by 29 state assemblies represents a decisive moment in Nigeria’s constitutional reform journey and signals growing legislative support for a more decentralised approach to internal security.
With the bill now set for transmission to President Tinubu, attention has shifted to the next constitutional requirements and the legal framework that will guide the establishment and operation of state police across the federation.
For millions of Nigerians who have long demanded a more responsive and community-oriented security system, the latest development could mark the beginning of a historic transformation in the country’s approach to policing and public safety.