Senate Begins Consideration of State Police Bill

By Tgnews Reporter

The Senate is set to begin deliberations this week on a constitutional amendment proposal seeking to establish State Police across Nigeria, in what lawmakers describe as a major step toward addressing the country’s growing security challenges.

The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, disclosed the development in a statement issued through his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs on Monday.

According to Bamidele, the proposed amendment will be one of the key items before the upper chamber during the legislative week and could be separated from other constitutional amendment bills to accelerate its passage.

He noted that there is broad consensus among political leaders, security stakeholders, and citizens on the need to decentralise policing in order to improve security across the federation.

“Our position is very clear on State Police. We are standing with Nigerians. All strata of the federation have made it clear that there cannot be a better time than now to establish State Police,” he said.

The Senate Leader explained that consultations on the proposal have been ongoing among lawmakers and key government officials, including the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Chief of Staff to the President, the Inspector-General of Police, and committees of both chambers of the National Assembly responsible for constitutional review.

He added that the initiative has also received support from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, state governors, and other stakeholders involved in national security management.

If approved by the National Assembly, the constitutional amendment will be transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for ratification, as required by the Constitution.

For the proposal to become law, it must secure the endorsement of at least two-thirds of the state legislatures before being forwarded to the President for assent.

The push for State Police has gained momentum in recent years amid rising concerns over insecurity, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes, and other violent crimes affecting various parts of the country.

Supporters of the initiative argue that state-controlled police formations would be more familiar with local environments, cultures, and security challenges, thereby enhancing intelligence gathering and rapid response to threats.

However, critics have expressed concerns that state police could be abused by political leaders to target opponents or influence elections, calling for strong constitutional safeguards and oversight mechanisms.

Despite the concerns, growing insecurity across the country has intensified calls for reforms to Nigeria’s policing structure, with many stakeholders insisting that the current centrally controlled system is overstretched and inadequate to meet emerging security demands.

The Senate’s consideration of the bill this week is expected to spark extensive debate among lawmakers as Nigeria moves closer to deciding whether policing powers should be partially devolved to the states.