The Federal Government has announced significant progress toward the establishment of state police, with a constitutional amendment expected soon as consultations among the Executive, National Assembly, and security agencies reach an advanced stage.
This was disclosed on Thursday at the State House, Abuja, by the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, while briefing State House Correspondents after a high-level consultative meeting on the proposed security reform.
Gbajabiamila said the process, which began several months ago following a directive by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has now gained substantial momentum, particularly on constitutional and legal considerations required for implementation.
“We started deliberations in the last three or four months on how to go about the establishment of state police as directed by Mr President,” he said.
He stressed that the creation of state police cannot be rushed, noting that it requires careful constitutional restructuring and supporting legislation.
“Establishing state police is not something you do with the snap of a finger. There is a lot involved in terms of constitution and legalities, and thankfully we have now gained a lot of traction,” he added.
According to him, discussions have now shifted to finalising the constitutional amendment framework, with enabling laws to follow subsequently.
Gbajabiamila noted that there is broad national consensus on the need for state police, adding that the focus has moved from whether it should be created to how it will be effectively structured and implemented.
He further disclosed that President Tinubu, a strong advocate of decentralised policing, will be presented with a comprehensive report on the outcome of the consultations.
The meeting was part of ongoing federal efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture through improved local intelligence, enhanced grassroots policing, and better coordination between federal and sub-national authorities.
Senior government officials in attendance included the Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu; Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); and Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, among others.
