| Governors, Gbajabiamila present as 87 senators vote in support | At least 24 state legislatures must approve bill before presidential assent
In a historic move aimed at addressing Nigeria’s worsening security challenges, no fewer than 87 senators on Wednesday voted in support of a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police across the federation.
The move aims to bring the country closer to a decentralised policing system for the first time since independence.
The passage of the State Police Bill marks a major milestone in Nigeria’s decades-long debate over devolving policing powers from the federal government to the states to strengthen security, improve intelligence gathering, and enhance local law enforcement.
The legislation scaled through after rigorous clause-by-clause consideration by the Senate sitting as the Committee of the Whole, following the presentation of a report by the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution, chaired by Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the passage of the bill after more than the constitutionally required two-thirds majority voted in support of the proposal.
The bill seeks to establish a dual policing structure comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services operating concurrently across the country.
A major provision of the legislation empowers state governors to appoint Commissioners of Police for their respective states, subject to confirmation by the State Houses of Assembly.
Under Clause 17 of the proposed constitutional amendment, while the Federal Police Service will continue to be headed by the Inspector-General of Police, each State Police Service will be led by a Commissioner of Police appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state legislature.
The legislation also provides for a working relationship between governors and state police authorities.
Section 17(6) empowers governors to issue lawful written directives of a general policy nature to Commissioners of Police on matters relating to public safety and public order within their states.
Senate Prescribes Safeguards Against Abuse
However, amid longstanding concerns that governors could misuse state police against political opponents, the Senate incorporated extensive safeguards to prevent abuse of the proposed security structure.
One of the key protections contained in the bill is Section 17(7), which expressly prohibits state police commissioners from arresting, detaining, investigating, or using force against any individual, political party, or group merely for criticising the government, except in accordance with the law.
The provision is intended to prevent the weaponisation of state police against opposition figures, journalists, activists and dissenting voices while ensuring adherence to due process and constitutional rights.
Leading debate on the bill, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele said the proposed amendment was carefully designed to balance local policing autonomy with national cohesion, accountability and constitutional oversight.
According to him, the Senate had adopted clear measures to constrain and prohibit governors from deploying state police for partisan, ethnic, religious, sectional or personal purposes.
Bamidele explained that the proposed constitutional framework empowers the National Assembly to prescribe minimum national standards covering recruitment, training, vetting, promotions, discipline, use of force, firearms management, complaints procedures, accountability, data management and professional conduct.
He said the bill was intended to retain federal policing responsibilities while allowing states to establish their own police services.
