By Haruna Salami
A bill seeking to establish state police and devolve policing powers to subnational governments as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s internal security framework on Thursday passed second reading in the Senate.
The bill, which received widespread support from senators across party lines, was subsequently referred by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution for further legislative consideration.
Leading the debate, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, underscored the importance of creating state police, arguing that the growing security challenges across the country have exposed the limitations of the current centralized policing system.
He noted that Nigeria continues to grapple with numerous security threats, including terrorism and violent extremism, banditry, mass abductions, farmer-herder clashes, cultism, gang violence, armed robbery, pipeline vandalism, economic sabotage, communal conflicts and emerging cyber-related crimes.
According to him, these challenges have prompted widespread calls for the establishment of state police, with many Nigerians arguing that a centrally controlled police structure has been unable to adequately respond to localized and evolving security threats.
Bamidele explained that the proposed legislation was introduced in response to those concerns and is aimed at strengthening the nation’s security architecture.
He stated that the bill seeks to modernize Nigeria’s policing system by creating both Federal and State Police structures, clearly defining their responsibilities and establishing State Police Service Commissions.
The Senate Leader added that the bill provides for oversight mechanisms, transfers policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, and promotes cooperative federalism in security administration.
According to him, the proposed constitutional amendment would not undermine national unity but rather reinforce the federation by enabling each tier of government to effectively perform its constitutional responsibilities.
Bamidele, however, acknowledged concerns that state police could be abused by state governments. He said the bill contains adequate safeguards to address such fears.
Among the safeguards, he listed the establishment of State Police Service Commissions, federal oversight through the Federal Police Service Commission, uniform national policing standards, and legislative confirmation of senior appointments.
Other safeguards, he said, include stronger constitutional procedures for the removal of state commissioners of police, periodic certification and review of state police operations, and federal intervention mechanisms in situations where law and order completely break down.
“These measures are intended to create a balanced framework that combines operational autonomy with accountability and constitutional oversight,” he said.
Bamidele argued that security is most effective when it is localized, noting that individuals who understand the terrain, language, culture and unique security dynamics of their communities are often best placed to detect criminal activities before they escalate.
He further stated that state police would enhance intelligence gathering because local officers are better positioned to obtain actionable information from residents due to their familiarity with local languages, customs and social structures.
“Modern policing relies heavily on intelligence rather than force. State Police will significantly strengthen Nigeria’s intelligence architecture,” he said.
The Senate Leader also maintained that state police would improve response time to security threats, noting that the existing centralized command structure often results in bureaucratic delays during emergencies.
According to him, state police formations would enjoy greater operational flexibility, enabling them to respond swiftly to incidents within their jurisdictions.
He added that the system would strengthen community policing by fostering trust between law enforcement agencies and local communities, thereby improving public confidence in policing institutions.
