The Senate on Thursday advanced a bill seeking to establish state police across Nigeria, but stopped short of passing it, instead referring the proposed legislation to its Constitution Review Committee for further legislative action.
The bill, which seeks to decentralise aspects of policing powers to strengthen internal security, scaled second reading during plenary but was immediately committed to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution for detailed consideration.
Presiding over the session, Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio directed that the bill be subjected to constitutional scrutiny in line with established legislative procedures.
Leading the debate, Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele said the proposed reform was a response to Nigeria’s worsening security situation, including terrorism, banditry, mass abductions, violent extremism, communal clashes, and organised criminal activities.
He argued that the country’s centralised policing system had become overstretched and increasingly unable to effectively respond to localised security threats across the federation.
The bill proposes the creation of state police institutions alongside the federal policing structure, with defined jurisdictional responsibilities, oversight mechanisms, and State Police Service Commissions to regulate operations at the subnational level.
Bamidele maintained that the reform would not undermine national unity, but rather strengthen governance and improve security coordination under Nigeria’s federal system.
He acknowledged concerns over possible abuse by state authorities but said the bill provides safeguards including federal oversight, uniform policing standards, legislative confirmation of senior officers, and periodic review mechanisms.
Other provisions include structured removal procedures for state police leadership and federal intervention powers in cases of severe security breakdown.
The Senate Leader stressed that effective policing must be locally driven, noting that officers familiar with local terrain, language, and culture are better positioned to gather intelligence and prevent crime.
He further explained that state police would enhance intelligence gathering, improve rapid response capabilities, and strengthen community trust in law enforcement.
According to him, the reform would also ease pressure on the Nigeria Police Force, allowing it to focus on national-level crimes such as terrorism, interstate criminal networks, cybercrime, border security, and protection of critical infrastructure.
Bamidele cited federal systems such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and Germany as examples where subnational policing operates alongside national security agencies.
Following deliberations, senators expressed broad support for the bill’s general principles but agreed it must undergo further constitutional review before any final consideration or passage.
The bill was subsequently referred to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution for further legislative work and harmonisation with existing constitutional provisions.
