JUST IN: State Police Move Gains Momentum as Tinubu Sends Bill to Senate

State Police Move Gains Momentum as Tinubu Sends Bill to Senate
Moves to Decentralise Policing
Seeks Multi-Tier Policing System

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has transmitted a constitutional amendment bill to the Senate seeking the establishment of state police across the country in what could become one of Nigeria’s most far-reaching security reforms.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that the proposed legislation seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to decentralise policing by allowing states to establish and operate their own police services alongside the Nigeria Police Force.

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If passed into law, the bill would significantly alter Nigeria’s internal security architecture, which has remained under the exclusive control of the Federal Government since the return to democratic rule in 1999.

Legislative sources disclosed that the bill has already been received by the Senate and is expected to be listed for first reading in the coming legislative sessions, paving the way for lawmakers to begin formal consideration in line with constitutional procedures.

The creation of state police has remained one of the most debated issues in Nigeria’s constitutional and security reform discourse. Advocates argue that decentralising policing would strengthen intelligence gathering, improve community policing and ensure quicker responses to local security threats amid growing insecurity in several parts of the country.

However, critics have continued to express concerns over the possibility of political interference, warning that state police could be abused by governors and deployed against political opponents or used to heighten regional tensions.

As a constitutional amendment, the proposal must secure the support of at least two-thirds of members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives before being transmitted to the 36 state Houses of Assembly.

The amendment would also require approval by no fewer than 24 state legislatures before it can be presented to the President for assent.

Senate Set to Consider State Police Bill — Senate

If enacted, the legislation would introduce a multi-layered policing system in which federal and state police agencies operate within constitutionally defined jurisdictions, marking a major shift in Nigeria’s approach to law enforcement and internal security.

The Senate is expected to subject the bill to extensive legislative scrutiny, including public hearings and consultations with stakeholders, as deliberations begin on what observers describe as one of the most consequential security reform initiatives in recent Nigerian history.