Nigeria’s Senate on Wednesday passed a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police forces, a major step toward decentralising the country’s policing system as authorities grapple with persistent security challenges.
The legislation, titled the State Police Bill, would allow Nigeria’s 36 states to establish and manage their own police formations alongside the federal police structure. Under the proposal, state governors would have the authority to appoint State Commissioners of Police, subject to constitutional provisions and confirmation processes.
Supporters of the bill said decentralised policing would improve intelligence gathering, community engagement and rapid response to crimes such as kidnapping, banditry and communal violence, which have strained the centrally controlled police system.
The bill also outlines a division of responsibilities between federal and state police services, with the federal force retaining authority over national security matters, terrorism, interstate crimes and offences within the Federal Capital Territory.
The proposal has generated debate for years, as critics warned that state police could be vulnerable to political interference by governors, while supporters argue local authorities are better positioned to address security threats within their jurisdictions.
The measure must still secure approval from at least two-thirds of Nigeria’s state Houses of Assembly and receive presidential assent before becoming law.