Defense and Security
Senate Moves to Fast-Track State Police Amendment as Insecurity Concerns Mount
The Senate has intensified efforts to establish state police across Nigeria, announcing plans to prioritise the constitutional amendment required to decentralise the country’s policing structure this week.
Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, disclosed the development in Abuja on Monday, saying the National Assembly is determined to expedite amendments to the 1999 Constitution as part of broader measures to tackle the nation’s escalating security challenges.
According to Bamidele, the proposal for state police has received widespread support from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, state governors, and other critical stakeholders, reflecting what he described as a growing national consensus on the need for a decentralised policing system.
The renewed push comes amid persistent security threats across the country, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and communal violence. Recent incidents, such as the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State, as well as attacks on military personnel, have further intensified calls for reforms in Nigeria’s security architecture.
Nigeria currently operates a centralised policing system under Section 214(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which provides for a single national police force. However, Bamidele noted that consultations across the federation indicate increasing support for the creation of state-controlled police formations to complement federal security efforts.
He revealed that extensive engagements involving the National Assembly, the Presidency, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Chief of Staff to the President, security agencies, and constitutional review committees have reached an advanced stage, setting the groundwork for legislative action.
To accelerate the process, lawmakers have resolved to separate the state police proposal from other constitutional amendment bills, allowing it to be considered and voted on independently.
If approved by the National Assembly, the amendment will be transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for ratification.
Under Nigeria’s constitutional amendment procedure, the bill must secure the support of at least two-thirds of both chambers of the National Assembly and gain approval from no fewer than 24 state legislatures before it can be presented to the President for assent.
Bamidele expressed optimism that the proposal would enjoy swift legislative progress, citing the backing of President Tinubu and a majority of state governors as key factors driving momentum for the long-debated reform.
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