In a move to accommodate a decentralised police structure in the ongoing amendment of the 1999 Constitution, the Senate has adopted clearly defined measures to constrain and prohibit state governors from using such powers for partisan, ethnic, religious, sectional, or personal purposes.
The upper chamber also pointed out that when eventually amended, the new constitution will authorise the National Assembly to prescribe national minimum standards relating to recruitment, training, vetting, promotions, discipline, use of force, firearms, complaints procedures, accountability, data management, and professional conduct.
The Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, reeled out these measures while leading debate on the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026 on Wednesday
Canvassing support for the bill, Bamidele first highlighted the objectives of the bill on the establishment of state police submitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Vice Chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution pointed out that the proposal mainly sought to balance local policing autonomy with national cohesion, accountability with operational effectiveness, and federal oversight with state responsibility.
He said the bill is intended to retain the Nigeria Police Force for federal policing duties while providing for the establishment of state police services in states that choose to adopt them.
Bamidele further broke down the details of the proposed police decentralised structure, noting that the state police would be responsible only for enforcing state laws, maintaining public safety and public order, preventing and detecting crimes within their jurisdiction, protecting lives and property, and other local policing responsibility.
On the responsibilities of the federal police, Bamidele noted that the federal police would be in charge of protecting federal institutions, counter-terrorism, organised crime, cybercrime, border security, arms trafficking, interstate criminal activities, and other national security matters.
The Senate Leader clarified circumstances in which the federal police could intervene in security situations or conditions at the sub-national level.
He explained that the interventionary powers of the federal police could only be activated when there “is outright breakdown of public order at a specific subnational entity; when a state police are incapable of functioning; when there is serious violation of fundamental rights; when there is an established record of electoral intimidation and when national security is under threat.”
He said such intervention could only come after the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces authorises it in writing.
He said it would be limited in scope and duration, subject to Senate oversight and open to judicial review.
He further explained that the bill generally sought “to balance local policing autonomy with national cohesion, accountability with operational effectiveness and federal oversight with state responsibility.
“The bill provides robust safeguards against abuse, preserves federal authority where necessary, protects constitutional rights and creates a modern policing framework capable of addressing contemporary security challenges.
Seconding the bill, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, said that he was among those who were against the establishment of State Police at the initial stage.
However, Abaribe pointed out that the prevailing security situation across the federation necessitated the establishment of state police in order to tackle security problems.
Also speaking in support of the bill, former Sokoto State Governor and Chairman, Senate Committee on Housing, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, observed that he had remained consistent on the need for the establishment of state police.
The Chief Chip of the Senate, Senator Tahir Monguno, further solicited broader support for the alteration of the 1999 Constitution to accommodate the establishment of state police in order to help respond decisively to security challenges with the subnational territories.
