State Police Moves Closer as 28 States Approve Bill

Nigeria’s long-standing proposal to establish state police has moved closer to becoming reality after 28 state Houses of Assembly approved the constitutional amendment required to introduce state-controlled police forces.

The National Assembly confirmed the development on Tuesday, November 3, noting that the number of approving states had exceeded the constitutional requirement of 24 out of Nigeria’s 36 states. The approvals have now cleared a major constitutional hurdle in the country’s efforts to decentralise its policing system.

Under the proposed arrangement, individual states would have the authority to establish and manage their own police forces, potentially allowing security agencies to respond more effectively to crimes and threats within their respective territories. Supporters of the reform believe that the current centralised policing structure has made it difficult to address security challenges across Nigeria’s diverse regions.

The National Assembly Clerk, Kamoru Ogunlana, said the authenticity of the approvals and supporting legislative records had been verified. The amendment will now be prepared for transmission to President Bola Tinubu for assent.

However, the proposal is also expected to generate discussions around funding, political interference, human rights protection and accountability. If implemented successfully, the reform could represent one of the most significant changes to Nigeria’s security architecture in recent years.