Nigeria’s long-running debate over the establishment of state police has moved a step closer to reality following the passage of a constitutional amendment bill by the House of Representatives and its successful second reading in the Senate.
The proposed legislation seeks to create a dual policing system that would allow states to establish and operate their own police formations alongside the existing federal police structure. The move is aimed at addressing the country’s growing security challenges, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes and other violent crimes.
At the House of Representatives, lawmakers overwhelmingly supported the bill during the constitutional review process. The proposal would amend Section 214 of the Constitution to formally recognize both Federal Police and State Police services, while empowering the National Assembly to set minimum operational standards for state police formations. (
Under the proposed framework, states seeking to establish police services must first pass enabling laws through their respective Houses of Assembly and meet national standards before commencing operations. The Federal Police would continue to exercise policing powers in states until their police services become fully operational.
The Senate has also advanced the proposal, with lawmakers arguing that decentralized policing could improve intelligence gathering, response times and community-based security operations. Supporters believe officers familiar with local languages, terrain and cultural dynamics would be better positioned to combat crime and maintain public safety.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has backed the reform, describing state policing as a critical component of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture. The proposal has also received support from many state governors who argue that they currently bear responsibility for security without having operational control over police personnel in their states.
Despite the growing support, concerns remain. Security experts and political analysts have warned that state police could be vulnerable to political interference and misuse by state governments. Others have questioned whether many states possess the financial resources, manpower and infrastructure needed to establish and sustain effective police forces.
Analysts have also stressed the need for safeguards, professional training standards and strong oversight mechanisms to prevent abuse and ensure coordination between federal and state law enforcement agencies.
Before the proposal can become law, it must secure approval from at least two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 state Houses of Assembly. If that threshold is met, the constitutional amendment will be transmitted to the president for assent.
The latest legislative progress marks one of the most significant advances yet in Nigeria’s decades-long conversation about state policing, shifting the national debate from whether state police should exist to how they can be implemented effectively.
