The Senate will this week begin consideration of a constitutional amendment to establish State Police across the federation.
Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, Leader of the 10th Senate, announced the development in an official statement issued by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs today. He confirmed that the National Assembly has resolved to isolate the State Police provision from the broader ongoing constitutional review process and fast-track it into law due to its “national exigency.”
According to the statement, all key stakeholders including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, state governors, the National Assembly, and security chiefs are aligned on the need for State Police.
“Our position is very clear on state police. We are standing with Nigerians on the issue of state police. All strata of the federation have made it clear that there cannot be a better time to establish a state police than now,” Senator Bamidele said.
The proposed legislation, which forms part of the ongoing efforts by the National Assembly to amend the 1999 Constitution, is expected to generate robust debate among legislators, stakeholders and the wider public as the nation continues to seek lasting solutions to its security challenges.
The bill aims to decentralize policing by empowering state governments to establish and manage their own police formations, while maintaining coordination with federal security agencies. Proponents of the initiative argue that state police will enhance intelligence gathering, improve community policing, and enable quicker responses to security threats at the grassroots level.
The move comes amid growing calls from governors, traditional rulers, security experts and civil society organizations for a restructuring of Nigeria’s security architecture to address rising concerns over banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, communal clashes and other criminal activities across various parts of the country.
According to legislative sources, the Senate will deliberate on the proposal as part of a broader constitutional amendment agenda designed to strengthen governance, improve federal-state relations, and deepen democratic institutions.
The consideration of the bill is expected to attract widespread attention given the longstanding national conversation surrounding the desirability and operational framework of state policing.
Supporters of the proposal maintain that a decentralized policing system would allow security personnel to better understand local terrains, languages and peculiar security dynamics, thereby enhancing operational effectiveness.
However, critics have raised concerns about the potential misuse of state-controlled police forces for political purposes, stressing the need for strong safeguards and accountability mechanisms.
The National Assembly has repeatedly emphasized its commitment to undertaking constitutional reforms that reflect the aspirations of Nigerians and address contemporary governance challenges. The latest move by the Senate is therefore viewed as a critical milestone in the ongoing effort to modernize the country’s legal and institutional frameworks.
If passed by the National Assembly and subsequently endorsed through the constitutional amendment process, the state police initiative could represent one of the most far-reaching reforms to Nigeria’s security structure since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
Political observers and stakeholders across the country are expected to closely monitor the Senate’s deliberations, as the outcome could significantly influence the future of policing, internal security management, and federalism in Nigeria.
