Nigeria’s push towards establishing state police has advanced after the National Assembly transmitted a constitutional amendment bill to the Houses of Assembly in all 36 states for consideration.
The proposed legislation seeks to amend the Constitution to allow individual states to establish and operate their own police services, marking one of the country’s most significant security reforms in decades.
Under Nigeria’s constitutional amendment process, the bill must secure the approval of at least two-thirds of the state legislatures before it can be returned to the National Assembly for final passage and subsequently transmitted to the President for assent.
The move comes amid growing concerns over insecurity across the country, with proponents arguing that decentralising policing would strengthen local intelligence gathering, improve rapid response to security threats, and enhance community policing.
Supporters view the proposal as a long-awaited solution to Nigeria’s overstretched federal policing system, while critics have cautioned against potential political interference and the misuse of state-controlled security agencies.
The decisions of the state assemblies are expected to shape the future of policing and security governance in Nigeria.
