The Senate on Thursday took a major step towards the creation of state police as a bill seeking to decentralise policing and strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture scaled second reading.
The proposed legislation, which enjoys widespread support among senators across party lines, was subsequently referred to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution for further legislative scrutiny.
Leading the debate, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, said the bill seeks to address the growing insecurity across the country by empowering states to establish their own police formations while maintaining a federal policing structure.
According to him, Nigeria is grappling with numerous security challenges, including terrorism, banditry, mass abductions, farmer-herder clashes, cultism, armed robbery, pipeline vandalism, communal conflicts and cybercrime.
He noted that the increasing complexity of security threats had strengthened calls for state police, as many Nigerians believe the current centralised policing system is overstretched and unable to effectively tackle local security concerns.
Bamidele explained that the bill proposes the establishment of both federal and state police structures, with clearly defined responsibilities and oversight mechanisms.
He said the legislation would also transfer policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, thereby allowing states to participate directly in law enforcement.
“The proposed amendment does not weaken national unity. Rather, it strengthens the federation by enabling each level of government to effectively discharge its constitutional responsibilities,” he said.
Addressing concerns over possible abuse of state police by governors, Bamidele said the bill contains several safeguards to ensure accountability and professionalism.
These include the establishment of State Police Service Commissions, federal oversight through the Federal Police Service Commission, uniform national policing standards, legislative confirmation of senior appointments, and constitutional procedures for the removal of state commissioners of police.
Other safeguards, he said, include periodic certification and review of state police operations, as well as federal intervention mechanisms in cases of complete breakdown of law and order.
According to him, the provisions are designed to balance operational autonomy with constitutional oversight and accountability.
Bamidele argued that security is most effective when it is local, noting that officers who understand the language, culture and terrain of their communities are better positioned to prevent crimes and gather intelligence.
“Modern policing relies heavily on intelligence rather than force. State police will significantly strengthen Nigeria’s intelligence architecture,” he said.
He further stated that state police would improve response time to security threats, enhance community policing, build public trust in law enforcement and reduce the burden on the Nigeria Police Force.
The Senate Leader also pointed out that many federal nations, including the United States, Canada, Australia and Germany, operate multi-layered policing systems, insisting that Nigeria should not remain an exception.
Following the debate, several senators, particularly from the northern region, threw their weight behind the bill, describing state police as a practical solution to the country’s worsening security challenges.
Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Tahir Monguno, expressed strong support for the proposal, saying it would provide a legal framework for regulating the numerous vigilante groups currently operating across the country.
He said the legislation would ensure that state police formations function within clearly defined legal boundaries while maintaining professionalism and accountability.
The advancement of the bill marks one of the most significant legislative efforts yet to reform Nigeria’s security system amid growing concerns over insecurity nationwide.
