By Nathaniel Zaccheaus, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday formally launched what could become the most far-reaching policing reform in Nigeria’s democratic history, transmitting a constitutional amendment bill establishing state police to the Senate and seeking urgent legislative action.
The proposal immediately triggered accelerated proceedings in the upper chamber, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio directing the Senate Committee on Constitution Review to submit its report within 24 hours, underscoring the urgency attached to the reform.
The move comes against the backdrop of persistent security challenges across the country, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, farmer-herder clashes and communal conflicts, which have fuelled demands for a decentralised policing structure capable of responding more effectively to local threats.
For years, governors, traditional rulers, security experts and regional organisations have advocated state police, arguing that the centrally controlled Nigeria Police Force has become overstretched and increasingly unable to cope with the country’s complex security realities.
The proposed legislation, titled Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) State Police Bill, 2026, seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to establish a dual policing structure under which states would operate their own police services alongside the federal police.
In a letter read during plenary by Akpabio, Tinubu described the bill as a critical pillar of his administration’s efforts to restructure the nation’s security architecture and improve the protection of lives and property.
“This bill seeks to amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to create a constitutional pathway for the establishment of State Police services in Nigeria,” the President stated.
Tinubu explained that the proposal was not being introduced in isolation but builds on years of legislative work already undertaken by both chambers of the National Assembly.
According to him, the latest draft also incorporates safeguards intended to address concerns that have historically slowed progress on state policing.
“It builds on the significant work already done in this regard by the House of Representatives and the Senate and incorporates additional safeguards to ensure that the creation of a dual policing structure can address our nation’s evolving security challenges,” he said.
The President stressed that security realities across the country now demand a more proactive and community-based approach to law enforcement.
“The proposed legislation is a critical component of our administration’s strategy to reorganise Nigeria’s security architecture to protect our citizens better, and I am confident that the Senate will act swiftly to consider and pass this bill,” Tinubu added.
The President’s intervention is widely seen as a major boost for a proposal that has generated intense debate for more than two decades, with successive administrations reluctant to embrace it fully despite growing public support.
Immediately after the letter was read, Akpabio referred the bill to the Constitution Review Committee chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin and ordered the panel to return with its report on Wednesday.
“We cannot do anything further on this matter today. Therefore, the bill that has just been read is referred to the Committee on Constitution Review, which is to present its report tomorrow, Wednesday, for further legislative action,” Akpabio said.
He assured lawmakers that the Senate would accord the proposal priority attention once the report is laid before the chamber.
“As soon as the report is presented, we will consider it at the Committee of the Whole and fast-track the process so that we can conclude legislative business before proceeding on recess after a year of intensive legislative work,” he stated.
Akpabio described the proposed reform as a potentially transformative initiative that could change how security is managed across the federation.
He argued that communities possess valuable intelligence that can help security agencies prevent crime before it occurs.
“This legislation will make security more inclusive by enabling communities, youths, villages, municipal authorities and local governments to participate in the nation’s security architecture,” he said.
“As I have always said, every community knows the bad eggs within it. Security agencies can act proactively rather than reactively. We must become proactive instead of reacting after incidents have occurred.”
*Lawmakers worried over govs’ potential abuse
Despite the growing momentum behind the proposal, concerns about potential political interference dominated discussions on the Senate floor.
Critics have long warned that state police could become instruments of intimidation in the hands of governors, particularly during elections and political disputes.
The concerns resurfaced as lawmakers weighed the implications of granting states greater control over policing.
Addressing the issue, Akpabio assured that the National Assembly would ensure that adequate constitutional safeguards are built into the framework to prevent abuse.
“We will do it in phases, beginning with constitutional alteration. We must ensure there are adequate safeguards to prevent abuse,” he said.
Also contributing to the debate, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele said the proposal had moved beyond partisan politics and should be treated as a national priority.
“The issue of state police cuts across all political parties. It has become a national issue. It is also an issue that cuts across geopolitical zones and sectional interests,” Bamidele said.
He urged senators to mobilise colleagues for the anticipated vote, noting that constitutional amendments require the support of at least two-thirds of members of the Senate.
Supporters of state police maintain that officers recruited from local communities would possess better knowledge of local languages, culture, geography and criminal networks, thereby improving intelligence gathering and response times.
They also argue that decentralisation would eliminate bureaucratic delays often associated with obtaining directives from Abuja before responding to local security threats.
However, opponents insist that clear jurisdictional boundaries, independent oversight mechanisms and constitutional checks must be put in place to prevent conflicts between federal and state police authorities.
If approved by the National Assembly and subsequently ratified by at least two-thirds of state Houses of Assembly, the legislation would mark a historic shift in Nigeria’s security governance, ending decades of exclusive federal control of policing and ushering in a new era of community-based law enforcement.
