The Senate says it will begin legislative action on the establishment of state police this week, signalling what lawmakers describe as a decisive step toward addressing Nigeria’s growing security challenges.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Monday as part of activities marking the third anniversary of the 10th Senate, Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele disclosed that the National Assembly has resolved to pass the constitutional amendment required to establish state police.
According to him, the move has become imperative given the country’s worsening security situation, which he said can no longer be ignored.
Bamidele said the issue of state police will dominate legislative discussions this week, revealing that extensive consultations have already been held with key stakeholders, including the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Chief of Staff to the President, the Inspector-General of Police and other relevant agencies.
He noted that lawmakers have decided to isolate the state police proposal from other constitutional amendment bills in order to fast-track its consideration and passage.
The renewed push reflects growing calls for the decentralisation of Nigeria’s policing structure following years of violent attacks, mass kidnappings and communal killings across the country.
In recent years, large-scale attacks in Benue and Plateau states, including deadly assaults on communities that claimed dozens of lives and displaced thousands, have intensified demands for state-controlled policing.
The June 2025 massacre in Yelewata, Benue State, which left scores dead, renewed criticism of the country’s centralised security system and sparked fresh calls for state police.
The persistent wave of school abductions has also fueled public support for the proposal.
Since the Chibok schoolgirls abduction in 2014, thousands of students have been kidnapped in attacks on schools across Kaduna, Zamfara, Niger, Katsina, Kebbi and other states.
More recently, attacks on schools in Oyo, Borno and Zamfara states highlighted the continuing threat posed by armed groups and kidnappers.
Supporters of state police argue that locally controlled police formations would possess better knowledge of their communities, improve intelligence gathering and enable quicker responses to emerging security threats.
Bamidele said there is overwhelming public support for state policing and stressed that the responsibility of the National Assembly is to translate that demand into law.
Once passed by the National Assembly, the constitutional amendment will be transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for approval.
The proposal must secure the support of at least two-thirds of the state legislatures before it can be forwarded to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
The Senate Leader expressed confidence that the bill would make significant progress this week, adding that President Tinubu, Governors and many state assemblies are supportive of the initiative.
If approved, the legislation would mark one of the most significant changes to Nigeria’s security architecture since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
