In a monumental shift toward restructuring Nigeria’s national security framework, a bill seeking to establish state police and devolve policing powers to sub-national governments successfully scaled its second reading in the Senate on Thursday.
The breakthrough marks a decisive legislative milestone in the ongoing constitutional push to decentralize policing. Following its passage, Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the bill to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution for further legislative scrutiny.
The Senate’s progress aligns with action in the House of Representatives, which also approved the State Police Bill earlier on Thursday, signaling a unified National Assembly approach to addressing Nigeria’s complex security realities.
Modern policing relies heavily on intelligence rather than force.
Senator Bamidele Opeyemi.
The establishment of state police will improve intelligence gathering. Local police officers are better equipped to obtain actionable intelligence from communities because they understand local languages, customs, and social structures.
Senator Bamidele, who sponsored the bill, noted that the reform is designed to modernize the nation’s security framework and strengthen cooperative federalism.
The proposed legislation also addresses the current proliferation of informal security outfits across the federation. Contributing to the debate, Senate Chief Whip Senator Tahir Monguno highlighted that the bill will bring much-needed order to grassroots security efforts.
Legal Safeguards: The bill will provide a formal legal framework for the establishment and operation of state police forces.
Accountability: It ensures sub-national forces effectively discharge their responsibilities under strict regulation, curbing the risks associated with unchecked vigilante groups.
With the bill now advancing to the Constitution Review Committee, the National Assembly moves one step closer to enacting a decentralized security architecture aimed at restoring peace and stability across Nigeria.
