President Bola Tinubu has forwarded a constitutional amendment bill to the Senate aimed at creating state police across Nigeria as part of broader efforts to strengthen the country’s security system.
The development was disclosed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Tuesday’s plenary session. He stated that lawmakers are expected to begin consideration of the proposed legislation on Wednesday.
According to Akpabio, state governments have also indicated their readiness to review the bill once it is formally transmitted to them.
The proposed amendment seeks to revise sections of the 1999 Constitution to provide a legal basis for the establishment and operation of state police forces nationwide.
The push for state police follows growing calls for security reforms that would allow state governments to play a more active role in protecting lives and property within their jurisdictions.
Earlier this year, President Tinubu urged the National Assembly to support constitutional changes that would pave the way for state policing, arguing that the measure is necessary to address challenges such as terrorism, banditry and other forms of violent crime.
Speaking during the recent Democracy Day celebration, the President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to tackling insecurity, warning that terrorists, bandits and those supporting them would face decisive action under the law.
He noted that security operations had led to the elimination of over 13,000 terrorists in the past year and said incidents linked to terrorism had reduced significantly compared to previous periods.
Despite these gains, the President acknowledged that the abduction and continued captivity of some schoolchildren in parts of Oyo and Borno states remain a major concern.
The debate over state police has continued to generate mixed reactions across the country. Supporters believe it would improve intelligence gathering, strengthen community-based policing and enable faster responses to local security threats.
Critics, however, fear that state-controlled police forces could be vulnerable to political influence, potentially leading to abuse of power by governors and the targeting of political opponents.
For the amendment to become law, it must secure the backing of at least two-thirds of members in both chambers of the National Assembly before being sent to the 36 state Houses of Assembly. Approval from no fewer than 24 state legislatures would also be required before presidential assent.
If eventually enacted, the law would introduce a dual policing framework in which federal and state police agencies operate alongside one another under clearly defined constitutional responsibilities.
