State Police Bill Clears Second Reading in Senate, Moves Closer to Reality

A bill seeking to establish state police and transfer policing powers to subnational governments to strengthen the nation’s internal security architecture has successfully passed second reading in the Senate.

The bill, which enjoys widespread support among senators across party lines, was subsequently referred by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution for further consideration and scrutiny.
Leading the debate on the bill, Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, underscored the national importance of establishing state police, citing the declining capacity of the Nigeria Police Force to effectively maintain internal security and stability.
He noted that Nigeria continues to face numerous security challenges, including terrorism and violent extremism, banditry, mass abductions, farmer-herder clashes, cultism, gang violence, armed robbery, pipeline vandalism, economic sabotage, communal conflicts, and emerging cyber-enabled crimes.
According to him, these persistent threats have led many Nigerians to advocate for the creation of state police, arguing that the current centralized policing structure is inadequate in addressing increasingly complex, localized, and evolving security concerns.
In response to these demands, Bamidele sponsored the state police bill as part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s internal security framework.
He explained that the proposed legislation seeks to modernize the country’s security architecture by establishing both Federal and State Police structures. The bill also outlines their respective responsibilities, creates State Police Service Commissions, provides oversight mechanisms, transfers policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, and promotes cooperative federalism in security administration.
Bamidele emphasized that the proposed amendment would not undermine national unity.
“This amendment does not weaken national unity. Rather, it strengthens the Federation by enabling each level of government to effectively discharge its constitutional responsibilities,” he stated.
Addressing concerns over potential abuse of state police by governors and state authorities, Bamidele said the bill contains adequate safeguards to prevent such occurrences.
Among the safeguards listed are the establishment of State Police Service Commissions, federal oversight through the Federal Police Service Commission, uniform national policing standards, and legislative confirmation of senior appointments.
Other safeguards include strengthened constitutional procedures for the removal of state commissioners of police, periodic certification and review of state police operations, and federal intervention mechanisms in situations where law and order completely break down.
According to him, these measures are designed to ensure a balanced system that combines operational independence with accountability and constitutional oversight.
Bamidele further argued that security is most effective when managed at the local level, noting that individuals familiar with the terrain, language, culture, and unique security dynamics of their communities are often better positioned to identify and prevent criminal activities before they escalate.
He added that state police would significantly enhance intelligence gathering, as local officers are better able to obtain actionable information due to their understanding of local languages, customs, and social structures.
“Modern policing relies heavily on intelligence rather than force. State Police will significantly strengthen Nigeria’s intelligence architecture,” he said.
The Senate Leader also maintained that state police would improve response times to security threats by eliminating bureaucratic delays associated with the centralized command structure.
He noted that the initiative would promote community policing by fostering stronger relationships between law enforcement agencies and local communities, thereby improving public confidence in security institutions.
According to him, the establishment of state police would also reduce the burden on the Federal Police, allowing it to focus more effectively on interstate crimes, terrorism, organized criminal networks, border security, cybercrime, protection of federal assets, and other national security operations.
Bamidele further argued that the proposal aligns with Nigeria’s federal system of government, where powers and responsibilities should be appropriately shared among different levels of government.
He pointed out that many established federations successfully operate multi-layered policing systems. In the United States, policing is carried out by federal, state, county, and municipal agencies, while provinces in Canada maintain their own policing structures alongside federal institutions.
Similarly, Australia operates state police forces in addition to federal policing agencies, while Germany maintains state police services that work alongside federal security agencies.
“As such, Nigeria should not remain an exception among federal systems,” he stated.
Following Bamidele’s lead debate, several senators, particularly from Northern Nigeria, expressed support for the bill, arguing that state police would provide a lasting solution to the country’s security challenges.
Contributing to the debate, Senate Chief Whip, Tahir Monguno, strongly endorsed the proposed legislation, saying its passage would help address the proliferation of vigilante groups operating across the country.
He noted that the bill would establish a legal framework for the creation and operation of state police formations, enabling them to perform their duties effectively while ensuring proper regulation, accountability, and oversight.