In response to escalating terrorism and banditry across the country, the Nigerian Senate has announced plans to consider constitutional amendments to allow for the establishment of state police. The proposal is set to dominate the legislative agenda this week.
Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, Senate Leader from Ekiti Central, revealed in a statement on Monday, June 8, that after Senate consideration, the proposal would be sent to the 36 state Houses of Assembly for further legislative action.
“All stakeholders across the federation are on the same page with the National Assembly on the establishment of state police,” Bamidele said, noting that the National Assembly plans to prioritize this amendment due to the urgency of national security challenges.
Bamidele added that President Bola Tinubu and state governors are aligned with the National Assembly on the issue. “Our position is very clear on state police. We are standing with Nigerians on this. All strata of the federation have made it clear that there cannot be a better time to establish state police than now,” he said.
Currently, Section 214(1) of the 1999 Constitution stipulates: “There shall be a Police Force for Nigeria, which shall be known as the Nigeria Police Force.” The proposed amendment would create legal provisions for individual state police forces under this framework.
The Senate plans to treat the state police proposal as a standalone amendment, separate from other ongoing constitutional revisions. “We will isolate it from the rest of the bills under constitutional amendment so we can vote on this as soon as possible. The bill can then move to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for approval,” Bamidele said.
He explained that approval by two-thirds of state assemblies would be required before presidential assent. “The president is with us on this proposal. I am confident that the majority of governors also support it. State assemblies are ready, and we will initiate the proposal within the week,” he added.
Bamidele noted that the National Assembly has been in continuous consultations with key stakeholders over the past week, including the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Inspector-General of Police, the Chief of Staff to the President, and committee chairpersons responsible for reviewing the 1999 Constitution.
Earlier, Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila disclosed that President Tinubu would receive a comprehensive report on the proposed creation of state police as consultations on the constitutional framework near completion.
The Senate’s move reflects a growing consensus that decentralizing policing authority could enhance security and improve responsiveness to local threats, particularly amid rising incidents of banditry and terrorism across Nigeria.
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