State Police Won’t Become Governors’ Private Armies, Abbas Assures Nigerians

By Christiana Ekpa

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, on Wednesday dismissed fears that the proposed state police could be turned into political tools by governors, insisting that the Executive Bill before the National Assembly contains robust constitutional safeguards against abuse.

Speaking at the National Security Roundtable held as part of the 2026 National Assembly Open Week at the National Assembly Library Trust Fund in Abuja, Abbas said concerns that state police could become “private armies” of governors or political godfathers were legitimate but had been anticipated by the drafters of the constitutional amendment.

“I understand the concern that many people bring to this discussion, and it is a reasonable one. It is the fear that a State Police could become the private army of a governor or a political godfather,” he said.

“The people who drafted this Bill had the same fear, and they answered it.”
The Speaker explained that under the proposed amendment, a state’s Commissioner of Police would not be appointed solely by the governor but on the recommendation of the National Police Council and subject to confirmation by the State House of Assembly.

He added that the commissioner could only be removed by a two-thirds majority of the Assembly and only for just cause.
Abbas further disclosed that the bill provides for limited federal intervention where a state police service becomes compromised.

“If a State Police breaks down, or falls into the wrong hands, or turns against the very people it should protect, the Constitution allows the Federal Police to step in. But it allows this only in defined situations, only in writing, only for a limited period, with notice to the Governor and to the National Assembly within forty-eight hours, and always subject to the courts,” he said.

He stressed that such intervention would neither dissolve a state police force nor suspend elected institutions.

Describing the debate on state policing as one of the country’s most significant constitutional questions, Abbas commended President Bola Tinubu for transmitting the Executive Bill to the National Assembly.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done what many leaders talked about for thirty years, but few dared to attempt. He has sent this Parliament an Executive Bill to amend the Constitution and to allow for State Police Services,” he said.

The Speaker argued that Nigeria’s centralised policing system could no longer effectively address the country’s evolving security challenges, including banditry, kidnapping, farmer-herder clashes and attacks on schools.

“These are local problems, and they need local knowledge, local presence, and local accountability. Policing works best when the people who protect a community actually belong to it,” he stated.

According to him, the bill seeks to rename the Nigeria Police Force as the Federal Police Service while allowing states to establish their own police services after meeting constitutional requirements and national minimum standards.

He said the Federal Police would retain responsibility for federal crimes, terrorism, border security and policing the Federal Capital Territory, while state police would handle law and order within their respective states.

Abbas noted that each state police service would be overseen by an independent State Police Service Commission, receive direct funding and operate under strict restrictions against political, ethnic or religious abuse.

Drawing lessons from countries such as Germany, Canada, India and the United States, the Speaker said local policing succeeds only where there are national standards, effective information sharing and strong accountability mechanisms.

He, however, raised concerns over funding, intelligence sharing and the integration of existing vigilante groups and community guards into the proposed framework.

Abbas proposed a three-step implementation strategy, including the enactment of a National Minimum Standards Act, phased establishment of state police services and the creation of sustainable funding mechanisms.

He also called for broader security reforms, including legislation for a national criminal and biometric database, improved intelligence sharing, enhanced border security and better welfare for security personnel.

House Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, urged the integration of traditional rulers and community-based organisations into Nigeria’s security architecture, arguing that they possess valuable local intelligence.

Former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.), called for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s security architecture, advocating greater investment in intelligence, stronger institutional collaboration and responsible deployment of technology.

Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, also advocated intelligence-led policing, stronger inter-agency cooperation and the use of technology to combat insecurity.

Similarly, the Etsu Nupe and Chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Brig. Gen. Yahaya Abubakar (retd.), endorsed the establishment of state police, describing it as critical to strengthening community security.

Executive Secretary of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, Hon. Henry Nwawuba, called for evidence-based policymaking, while Secretary-General of the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures, Ambassador Dapo Oyewole, urged stronger collaboration among legislatures, governments and security institutions to address emerging security threats.

Also speaking, Head of Development Cooperation at the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Ms Cynthia Rowe, described the meeting as a consequential national conversation and commended Nigeria’s inclusive approach to discussions on the proposed legislation.