The Nigerian Senate has taken a major step towards the creation of state police after passing the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026.
The bill, transmitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu, seeks to amend the Constitution to allow states establish and operate their own police services alongside a reformed Federal Police Service that would replace the Nigeria Police Force.
Its passage marks one of the biggest constitutional reforms under the current administration and could significantly change Nigeria’s security architecture if eventually approved by the House of Representatives and state assemblies.
While many Nigerians have welcomed the proposal as long overdue, others fear it could hand governors excessive powers and expose political opponents to intimidation.
Under the proposed law, state governments would have constitutional authority to establish and manage their own police services.
However, the Federal Government would still retain emergency intervention powers in situations where a state’s security structure is unable to maintain law and order.
According to the bill, the Federal Police Service may intervene whenever there is an actual or imminent breakdown of public order, when a state police force becomes ineffective, when national security is under threat, or where there are serious allegations of human rights violations, political intimidation or unlawful conduct by state police authorities.
The proposed legislation also empowers the Federal Police Service to temporarily assume operational control of a state police service, subject to presidential approval, Senate oversight and judicial review.
During debate on the bill, Senate Leader Michael Opeyemi Bamidele described it as one of the most important constitutional reforms in Nigeria’s democratic history.
According to him, the amendment is intended to address the limitations of the country’s centralized policing system, especially in the face of growing insecurity across different regions.
The move is also in line with President Tinubu’s earlier promise to decentralize policing.
On September 2, 2025, Tinubu announced plans to establish state police and strengthen the Forest Guard system, arguing that communities need security agencies that understand local terrain, culture and language.
Despite the progress made by the bill, opinions remain sharply divided.
Former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalung, dismissed the Senate’s action as politically motivated.
Speaking to DAILY POST, Dalung argued that if the government truly believed in state policing, it would have implemented the policy much earlier instead of introducing it close to another election cycle.
He said the timing raises questions about the administration’s intentions.
According to him, insecurity has remained one of the country’s biggest challenges since the current government assumed office.
Dalung also questioned how the proposed state police would perform differently from existing security agencies despite trillions of naira already spent on security.
He warned that governors could eventually use state police to target political opponents rather than fight crime.
“The State Police is desirable, but the timing is wrong, the timing is political, the timing is ill motivated, and it is just intended to satisfy political interest, but not to protect Nigerians,” he said.
Dalung argued that Nigeria’s current security structure protects criminals more than ordinary citizens.
He claimed that bandits move freely with weapons while law-abiding citizens remain vulnerable to attacks.
According to him, allowing responsible Nigerians to legally bear arms would be a more effective response to the country’s worsening insecurity than creating state police.
Political analyst Jide Ojo disagreed.
He described the proposed amendment as a necessary reform that should have happened years ago.
According to Ojo, virtually every country operating a federal system has multiple policing structures, making Nigeria’s centralized model an exception rather than the rule.
He noted that countries such as Canada, Australia and Germany operate both federal and sub-national police services successfully.
Ojo argued that Nigeria itself had regional police during the First Republic before the system was abolished under the 1979 Constitution.
He maintained that today’s security challenges are far more severe than they were when regional policing was scrapped.
He also said safeguards contained in the proposed law would reduce the risk of abuse by governors.
According to him, states facing serious security threats such as Lagos, Kano, Kaduna and Oyo would particularly benefit from having additional security personnel under state control.
Ojo further noted that the proposed state police would complement, not replace, existing security agencies including the DSS, Civil Defence Corps, Armed Forces and recently approved Forest Guards.
Borno South Senator Ali Ndume also backed the proposal.
Speaking on Arise News, Ndume said Nigeria simply does not have enough police officers for a population of more than 200 million people.
He cited international recommendations suggesting there should be between 200 and 400 police officers for every 100,000 citizens, adding that Nigeria falls far below that benchmark.
According to him, decentralizing policing would help address manpower shortages and improve community security.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, however, urged the government not to see state police as a complete solution to insecurity.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Falana argued that unemployment, poverty and poor social welfare remain major drivers of crime across the country.
He said creating additional police formations without addressing those root causes may not significantly improve security.
According to Falana, tackling youth unemployment, expanding social intervention programmes and reducing poverty should receive equal attention if Nigeria hopes to overcome its security challenges.
The passage of the State Police Bill represents another major milestone in Nigeria’s long-running debate over restructuring and security reforms.
However, with supporters and critics presenting sharply different views, the proposed legislation is expected to remain one of the country’s most closely watched constitutional amendments as it progresses through the remaining stages of the legislative process.
