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By Victor Osula, Abuja
The Senate, on Wednesday, passed the historic Constitution Amendment Bill calling for the establishment of state police across the federation, marking a historic step in Nigeria’s decade-long effort to decentralize the police and strengthen the country’s security architecture.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier forwarded the Constitutional Amendment Bill to the Senate as part of broader efforts to reform Nigeria’s security architecture and create a legal framework for a dual policing system that would allow states to establish and operate their own police services alongside the federal police.
The bill, titled “A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for the establishment of the State Police and Related Matters (Sixth Amendment) Bill, 2026 (SB. 1055)”, has reached its third reading after extensive deliberations and clause-by-clause consideration by the legislators.
The passage represents one of the most significant constitutional reforms undertaken by the National Assembly since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999 and comes against a backdrop of growing concerns over persistent insecurity, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and communal violence across the country.
The legislation was passed during consideration by the General Committee, chaired by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, following the presentation of its general principles by the Senate President, Opeyemi Bamidele.
Under the proposed framework, the Federal Police Service will retain responsibility for federal crimes, national security matters, security within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), interstate crimes and organized criminal activities.
State police services, on the other hand, will be responsible for local law enforcement, maintaining law and order, and protecting lives and property within their respective states.
The bill also establishes a constitutional basis for the creation of state police service commissions, which will oversee recruiting, discipline, promotions, and other administrative matters related to state police formations.
Additionally, the legislation outlines procedures for appointing, disciplining, and removing both the inspector general of police and state police commissioners.
A key provision of the bill gives governors the power to appoint Police Commissioners for their respective states, subject to confirmation by the relevant state Houses of Assembly.
Under clause 17 of the proposed amendment, while the federal police service will continue to be headed by the Inspector General of Police, each state police service will be headed by a police commissioner appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state legislature.
The bill also provides that governors may issue lawful written directives of a general policy nature to state police commissioners on matters relating to public safety and law and order within their states.
To address concerns about possible abuse of state police by political authorities, lawmakers have incorporated safeguards to protect civil liberties, political liberties, and democratic rights.
One of the provisions states that a state police commissioner cannot arrest, detain, investigate or use force against any individual, party or political group simply for criticizing a government, except in accordance with the law.
The provision is intended to prevent state police formations from being used as weapons against political opponents, activists, journalists and dissenting voices.
The legislation also allows federal intervention in state police operations in limited circumstances, including complete collapse of public order, operational incapacity, or threats to national security.
The proceedings leading to the bill’s passage saw a dramatic shift after the Senate abandoned plans to use electronic voting machines to consider the state police proposal and other constitutional amendment bills.
The electronic voting system reportedly did not work despite repeated attempts to activate it for more than 30 minutes. Following the technical difficulties, Bamidele made a motion to adopt manual voting, arguing that no senator should be disenfranchised due to the malfunctioning of the devices.
The motion was supported by the Senate minority leader, Abba Moro, and subsequently adopted by the House.
Senators then voted manually by standing and raising their hands to indicate support or opposition to individual clauses of the bill.
The clause-by-clause examination ultimately secured the support of more than two-thirds of senators, paving the way for the bill to pass on third reading.
Several senior government officials witnessed the historic proceedings, including the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani; Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun; Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa; and the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Previously, the Senate had suspended relevant rules to admit governors and other senior officials into the House to observe deliberations on the proposal.
Akpabio described their presence as proof of the importance placed on legislation and a demonstration of transparency in the constitutional amendment process.
Leading the debate on the bill, Bamidele said the legislation aims to establish state police while maintaining a strong federal policing structure, national minimum standards of policing, accountability mechanisms and safeguards against abuse.
According to him, the proposed reform would improve intelligence gathering, strengthen community policing and improve responses to basic security threats.
During the debate, lawmakers from all parties overwhelmingly supported the bill, arguing that Nigeria’s current centrally controlled policing system has become excessive and inadequate to address the country’s increasingly complex security challenges.
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe said worsening insecurity had convinced him of the need for extraordinary measures, while underlining the importance of strong constitutional guarantees, sustainable financing mechanisms and effective control structures.
Former Sokoto State governor, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has described the state police as a necessary step towards deepening federalism and combating persistent security threats, warning of possible abuses by state authorities.
Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno also supported the proposal, pointing out that several states already operate quasi-police structures such as the Civilian Joint Task Force and the Amotekun Corps, making constitutional recognition of state police a logical progression.
Supporters of the legislation argue that decentralized policing will improve intelligence gathering, improve rapid response to local threats, deepen community engagement and provide security agencies with better local knowledge needed to fight crime.
Critics, however, continued to express concerns about funding disparities, operational coordination, oversight challenges, and the possibility that state police could be misused by governors to intimidate political opponents or suppress dissent.
Despite these concerns, legislators argued that the safeguards built into the bill would ensure professionalism, accountability and respect for constitutional principles.
With the approval of the Senate, the bill is expected to be sent to the House of Representatives for its approval. If approved by the House, it will move to the 36 state Houses of Assembly, where it must gain the approval of at least two-thirds of state legislatures before the constitutional amendment can take effect.
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