In this piece, our anchorman, Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka takes a critical look at the Senate’s move to amend the 1999 Constitution and establish state police has moved from proposal to legislative action. On Thursday, a bill sponsored by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele scaled second reading, setting Nigeria on a path that could redefine its security architecture. For decades, Nigerians have demanded decentralised policing to match local threats. This feature examines the bill’s provisions, the arguments for it, the safeguards proposed, and what it means for the country’s federal structure, Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka Our Managing Editor takes a critical look it.
For effective security to be achieved in Nigeria, the Senate may have taken the first concrete step toward the long-awaited establishment of state police through SB 794, sponsored by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele.
A bill seeking to establish state police and transfer policing powers to subnational governments to strengthen internal security across the federation on Thursday scaled through second reading at the Senate.
The bill, which enjoys broad support across party lines, was referred to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution by Senate President Godswill Akpabio for further consideration and scrutiny.
Leading debate, Senator Bamidele highlighted the national significance of creating state police amid the dwindling capacity of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure internal stability in a country of over 230 million people.
Nigeria currently faces unprecedented security challenges ranging from terrorism and violent extremism to banditry and mass abductions; farmer-herder conflicts; cultism and gang violence; armed robbery; pipeline vandalism; communal clashes; and emerging cyber-enabled crimes.
Consequently, Nigerians have consistently called for state police, citing the inability of a centralised policing structure to adequately respond to complex, evolving and localised threats facing communities.
In response to public demands, Bamidele sponsored the bill as one of the measures to strengthen internal security architecture across the federation.
He noted that the bill seeks to modernise Nigeria’s security architecture by establishing both federal and state police structures and defining their respective responsibilities.
The new law would create State Police Service Commissions, provide oversight mechanisms, transfer policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, and strengthen cooperative federalism in security administration.
Bamidele specifically explained that the proposed amendment “does not weaken national unity. Rather, it strengthens the Federation by enabling each level of government to effectively discharge its constitutional responsibilities.”
The Senate Leader acknowledged that one major concern often raised against state police is the possibility of abuse by state governors. He insisted the bill addresses those concerns through several safeguards.
The safeguards include the establishment of State Police Service Commissions, federal oversight through the Federal Police Service Commission, uniform national policing standards, and legislative confirmation of senior appointments.
He also listed constitutional procedures for removal of state commissioners of police, periodic certification and review of state police operations, and federal intervention mechanisms during a complete breakdown of law and order.
Bamidele argued that all the safeguards are intended to create a balanced framework that combines operational autonomy with accountability and constitutional oversight.
“Security is most effective when it is local. The individuals who understand the terrain, language, culture and peculiar security dynamics of a community are often best positioned to detect criminal activities before they escalate,” he said.
He added that state police will improve intelligence gathering because local officers understand local languages, customs and social structures. “Modern policing relies heavily on intelligence rather than force. State police will significantly strengthen Nigeria’s intelligence architecture,” he said.
Bamidele further argued that state police would facilitate rapid response to security threats, since the centralised command structure often creates bureaucratic delays. State formations would have operational flexibility to respond swiftly within their jurisdictions.
The bill would also promote community policing by fostering trust between law enforcement and the public, relieve pressure on the federal police, and allow the Nigeria Police Force to focus on interstate crimes, terrorism, organised criminal networks, border security and protection of federal assets.
Citing international examples, Bamidele said the United States, Canada, Australia and Germany all operate multi-layered policing systems. “Nigeria should not remain an exception among federal systems,” he submitted.
After the lead debate, senators mostly from the North spoke in favour of the bill. Chief Whip Tahir Monguno expressed strong support, saying its passage would help address the proliferation of vigilante groups and provide a legal framework for state police to operate with proper regulation and accountability.
The next phase is committee review, where Nigerians will watch closely to see if the safeguards hold and if the amendment can muster the constitutional two-thirds majority in both chambers and state assemblies.
