The House of Representatives has passed a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police in Nigeria.
The lawmakers voted to approve the bill during Thursday’s plenary session, marking a significant step forward in the ongoing legislative push for decentralised policing.
A major package of proposed constitutional amendments that would create separate Federal and State police forces has been published, setting out detailed arrangements for their establishment, powers, leadership, funding and oversight.
Under the proposals, the Constitution would expressly recognise two distinct policing bodies: a Federal Police and a State Police in each state (established by state law). The National Assembly would be required to enact an Act specifying the structure, organisation, administration and powers of the Federal Police and to provide a framework and minimum standards for the setting up and operation of State Police forces. A transitional provision would allow the Federal Police to continue performing all policing functions in any state until that state enacts its own law establishing a State Police and obtains certification that the force meets national minimum standards.
The Federal Police would retain responsibility for public security and order across the federation to the extent provided by the Constitution or by National Assembly law, and would continue to exercise similar functions within a state where constitutionally authorised. The Federal Police would have exclusive jurisdiction in the Federal Capital Territory. A key protection against federal overreach is included: the Federal Police would be barred from interfering in State Police operations or a state’s internal security affairs except in limited circumstances — to contain a complete breakdown of law and order, at the request of a governor, or where a State Police is unable to function for administrative or financial reasons. Any federal intervention would require prior approval by the National Police Council.
Leadership and command arrangements are also set out. The Federal Police would be headed by an Inspector‑General of Police (IGP), appointed by the President on the advice of the National Police Council from serving members of the Federal Police and subject to confirmation by the National Assembly. State Police would be headed by Commissioners of Police (CPs), appointed by governors on the National Police Council’s advice from serving state officers and confirmed by the respective State Houses of Assembly. Governors and the President (or authorised ministers) would be able to give lawful directions on public safety; officers who consider a direction unlawful could refer the matter to the National Police Council, whose decision would be final.
Removal procedures for top officers would be tightly constrained. The IGP could be removed only by the President on the National Police Council’s recommendation for specified grounds — including grave misconduct, breach of police regulations, certain criminal convictions, bankruptcy or mental incapacity — and only with a two‑thirds majority approval of the National Assembly. State Commissioners would face a parallel removal process, requiring the Governor’s action on the Council’s recommendation and a two‑thirds vote in the State House of Assembly.
The Federal Government would be empowered to provide grants or other financial support to State Police on the National Police Council’s recommendation, subject to National Assembly approval. Oversight and coordination responsibilities would rest with a restructured National Police Council (renamed and expanded from the current Nigeria Police Council) whose membership would include a presidentially appointed chair (confirmed by the National Assembly), the Attorney‑General of the Federation, a serving senior Federal Police officer, state Attorneys‑General, retired Commissioners, and representatives from human rights, labour, legal, media and traditional institutions. The Council would handle appointments and discipline of Federal Police officers (except the IGP), recommend top state officers to governors, set training and forensic standards, and assist state forces on request.
At state level, a new State Police Service Commission would be established in each state to recommend candidates for CP/DCP/ACP to the National Police Council and to manage appointment, discipline and removal of officers below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police. Its membership would include a governor‑appointed chairman (with State House confirmation), representatives from national human rights and professional bodies, retired Assistant Commissioners and traditional rulers.
Legislatively, policing matters would be brought onto a revised concurrent list, allowing the National Assembly to make laws on the organisation, powers, minimum standards, inspection, complaints mechanisms, criminal information sharing, use of force, firearms for policing, grants and federal intervention. States would retain the power to enact laws establishing and regulating their own forces so long as they meet constitutional and national minimum standards; they may adopt higher standards but not lower. The draft also proposes consequential amendments to other constitutional sections to replace references to a single “Nigeria Police Force” with appropriate references to Federal or State Police.
If enacted, the measures would represent a fundamental restructuring of policing in the country, balancing state control of local policing with federal standards and an integrated oversight mechanism. The proposals will require further legislative work and political negotiation before they can be adopted.
