President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken a significant step toward restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture by transmitting a constitutional amendment bill seeking the creation of state police to the Senate for legislative consideration.
The development was disclosed on Tuesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary, where he informed lawmakers that deliberations on the proposed amendment would commence on Wednesday. According to him, state governments have also indicated their readiness to examine the proposal immediately after receiving the legislation.
The bill seeks to alter relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution to provide the legal foundation for the establishment and operation of state-controlled police forces across the country. If approved, the proposal would represent one of the most far-reaching changes to Nigeria’s policing structure since the return to democratic rule.
The latest move aligns with President Tinubu’s longstanding advocacy for a decentralised security framework that would empower state governments to play a more active role in protecting lives and property within their jurisdictions.
Earlier this year, the President urged the National Assembly to initiate constitutional changes that would pave the way for state police, arguing that the growing threat posed by terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of violent crime required a more localized and responsive policing system.
The push for reform also comes against the backdrop of persistent security challenges confronting various parts of the country. During his Democracy Day address this month, Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s determination to intensify the fight against criminal elements and their backers.
He vowed that terrorists, bandits and those sponsoring their activities would face the full force of the law and emphasized that the government would show no leniency to individuals threatening national security.
The President also highlighted the gains recorded by security agencies over the past year, stating that more than 13,000 terrorists had been eliminated while terrorism-related fatalities had dropped considerably compared to previous years.
Despite those achievements, Tinubu acknowledged that incidents such as the continued captivity of schoolchildren abducted in Oyo and Borno states underscored the need for sustained efforts to address insecurity nationwide.
Momentum for state policing has continued to grow in recent months, with lawmakers in both chambers of the National Assembly advancing discussions on constitutional reforms designed to devolve certain policing responsibilities to state governments.
The Senate is expected to reconvene in an emergency session to accelerate consideration of the amendment bill, a move that could bring Nigeria closer to implementing a security reform that has been debated for years by policymakers, security experts and stakeholders across the federation.
Should the proposal secure the required legislative backing and approval by state assemblies, it would mark a major shift in the country’s approach to law enforcement and internal security management.
(Ripples)