The Senate has passed a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police across Nigeria, a significant step in efforts to decentralise policing and tackle rising insecurity nationwide.
The bill was approved on Wednesday after a clause-by-clause review and a manual voting process in which more than two-thirds of senators voted in support. Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced its passage following the presentation of a report by the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution, chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin.
The proposed legislation introduces a state policing system that will operate alongside the existing federal police structure, ending the Federal Government’s exclusive control over policing.
Under the bill, each state police service will be headed by a Commissioner of Police appointed by the governor and confirmed by the State House of Assembly, while the federal police will remain under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police.
The amendment also allows governors to issue lawful written directives on public safety and order within their states. To prevent abuse, the bill includes safeguards prohibiting state police from arresting, detaining, investigating, or targeting individuals, political parties, or groups solely for criticising the government, except in accordance with the law.
The bill is regarded as one of the most significant constitutional reforms of the 10th National Assembly. However, it must still secure the approval of state Houses of Assembly and complete other constitutional requirements before becoming law.
