- At least five state governments, Ondo, Kaduna, Anambra, Zamfara, and Abia, have signaled plans to transform their existing local security networks and vigilance groups into state police formations.
- The development follows the recent passage of the Executive Bill on State Police by the House of Representatives, taking Nigeria a step closer to decentralizing its security architecture.
- Proponents argue that utilizing existing structures like Amotekun, KADVIS, and the Civilian Protection Guards provides established infrastructure, terrain familiarity, and operational experience for a rapid transition.
Following major progress in the National Assembly regarding the constitutional establishment of state police, at least five state governments have indicated readiness to convert their existing state-backed security outfits into full-fledged state police commands.
Eko Hot Blog reports that findings reveal that Ondo, Kaduna, Anambra, Zamfara, and Abia states plan to leverage existing frameworks, such as the Amotekun Corps, Kaduna State Vigilance Service (KADVIS), Agunechemba, and Civilian Protection Guards (CPG), as the bedrock for their state police structures.
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The shift comes on the heels of the House of Representatives approving the Executive Bill transmitted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to amend the 1999 Constitution, facilitating a dual policing system across the nation.
State officials maintaining this approach emphasize that existing outfits already possess crucial institutional structures, local intelligence networks, and community trust, making the transition significantly faster and more cost-effective than building security institutions from scratch.
In Ondo State, the Special Adviser to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Strategic Communication, Allen Sowore, confirmed that the Amotekun Corps is uniquely positioned to metamorphose into state police.
Similarly, Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shu’aibu, noted during a recent KADVIS training session that the state has already reviewed legal frameworks and standard operating procedures to prepare personnel as a take-off platform once constitutional amendments receive full assent.
Meanwhile, several other states, including Bayelsa, Imo, Ekiti, Ogun, and Delta, have noted that they will wait for the final outcome of the constitutional amendment process across state assemblies before establishing their implementation models, with Delta State opting to build a brand-new policing structure from scratch.
