The Senate has announced plans to complete the amendment of the 1999 Constitution to allow the creation of state police before the end of 2026.
Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu stated that work on the constitutional review will resume immediately when plenary reconvenes next week. This follows President Bola Tinubu’s request for the National Assembly to begin the process, aiming to strengthen security across the country.
Speaking during interfaith events with lawmakers, President Tinubu urged that the establishment of state police be structured with safeguards to prevent abuse by governors. He emphasized that the new police force should not operate without checks and balances, learning from past experiences.
Adaramodu confirmed that significant groundwork on the proposal had already been done before attention shifted to the recent electoral amendment. He assured Nigerians that the National Assembly will treat the amendment with urgency and complete it before political campaigns ahead of the next general election.
“Before electioneering starts, we would have amended the constitution to allow for the creation of state police and passed it to the President for assent,” the Senate spokesperson said. He added that consultations with stakeholders across the country have already been conducted, and the review committee has compiled reports and findings.
State Police Widely Supported, Calls for Safeguards
The proposal for state police enjoys broad support from the President, state governors, and the National Assembly. However, groups including the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and the Pan-Yoruba organization Afenifere have urged strong legal safeguards to prevent governors from abusing their powers.
MACBAN’s national president, Baba Ngelzarma, highlighted that decentralizing policing could help address the country’s security challenges due to a shortage of security personnel. He also stressed that recruitment must reflect ethnic and religious diversity and warned against potential political misuse.
Similarly, Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, said locally driven security structures are needed to tackle rising crimes, but legal protections are essential to prevent abuse by governors.
All Progressives Congress chieftain Ayodele Arise suggested public education on the advantages and limitations of state police and recommended amending Section 214 of the Constitution to move policing to the Concurrent List, allowing both federal and state police forces to coexist. He expressed confidence that, with the ruling party’s majority in the National Assembly, the amendment and establishment of state police could be achieved within months, provided oversight mechanisms are implemented.
