Ahead of today’s joint address of the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu, the Senate and House of Representatives, yesterday, passed the State Police bill, effectively decentralising security architecture and allowing the 36 states to establish their own police forces, alongside the federal Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

This is coming as a long-advocated response to heightened security threats across the country, just as concerns about misuse and funding remain.

Earlier yesterday, the green chamber of the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the constitutional amendment bill that would establish separate federal and state police structures across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with 289 members voting in favour, one voting against, and none abstaining.

The debate began after concerns were raised by Bashir Usman (Kaduna, ADC) over the late circulation of the constitution review report, even as he complained that he had only received the draft document on Thursday.

The lawmaker, who incidentally represents Birnin Gwari/Giwa federal constituency, an area at the receiving end of kidnappings and deadly activities of bandits, questioned the urgency of considering such a critical issue involving national security agencies, with the police and military yet to offer convincing reasons for their underperformance in safeguarding the lives and properties of the citizenry.

Responding, Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, ruled that members were already familiar with the issues contained in the report and insisted the House would proceed with the business of the day in view of the worsening security situation across the country.

Leader of the House, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, subsequently moved a motion to suspend relevant House rules to allow immediate consideration of the report. The motion was seconded by newly elected Minority Leader, Frederick Agbedi, and was approved through a voice vote.

Deputy Speaker, Dr Benjamin Kalu, who also serves as Deputy Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, formally presented the report, acknowledging the voluminous nature of the committee’s work, explaining that only priority amendments on security and state policing would be considered at the session.

Presenting the state police bill, Kalu urged lawmakers to support what he described as a historic reform that can improve local security architecture. The well-sought-after bill, comprising 18 clauses, seeks to alter several provisions of the Constitution, including Sections 214 and 215, to formally establish both Federal Police and State Police.

Following the electronic voting system’s failure, the House resorted to a manual vote by raising hands after Speaker Abbas read the long title of the bill and put the question to members. The result showed overwhelming support, paving the way for further legislative consideration of one of Nigeria’s most contentious constitutional reforms.

Under the proposed amendment, Section 214 would be altered to create two policing institutions — the Federal Police and State Police. The National Assembly would retain authority to prescribe the framework, standards, organisation and powers of both police systems, while state police formations would only become operational after being established by state laws and certified as meeting national standards.

The Bill also provides safeguards against potential abuse by state governments. Under the proposed Section 215, a state’s police commissioner would be appointed by the governor on the advice of the National Police Council and confirmed by the State House of Assembly. Where a governor issues directives that a commissioner considers unlawful or inconsistent with professional policing standards, the officer may refer the matter to the National Police Council, whose decision would be final.

The amendment, among others, further limits federal intervention in state policing matters except in cases of serious breakdown of law and order, upon request by a governor, or where a state police service becomes unable to function due to administrative or financial difficulties. Any such intervention would require the approval of the National Police Council. The Federal Capital Territory would remain under the jurisdiction of the Federal Police under the proposed arrangement.

The vote marks one of the most significant constitutional changes considered by the National Assembly in recent years and revives a longstanding national debate over whether decentralised policing offers the best solution to Nigeria’s persistent security challenges.

The proposal will, however, still require approval by the Senate and endorsement by at least two-thirds of the states’ Houses of Assembly, and assented to by the President before it can become part of the Constitution. After passing the bill, the House adjourned until July 7.

MOMENTS later, the red chamber of the Senate passed the State Police Bill through second reading, amid strong support, cautious warnings, and constitutional objections from lawmakers. The bill, which seeks to transfer policing powers from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, was referred to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution for further legislative work.

Leading the debate, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, said Nigeria’s long-standing reliance on a single centralised police force has become increasingly unworkable in the face of rising and complex security threats. He argued that contemporary realities—including terrorism, banditry, kidnappings, cult violence, communal clashes, and cybercrime—have exposed the limitations of a centrally controlled policing system that struggles to respond swiftly to local emergencies.

Bamidele maintained that security is most effective when it is local, stressing that officers who understand the terrain, language, and social environment are better positioned to gather actionable intelligence and prevent crimes before they escalate. He further explained that state police would ensure faster response to emergencies within jurisdictions, reduce pressure on the overstretched Nigeria Police Force, and strengthen Nigeria’s federal structure by making governance more efficient and responsive.

Addressing concerns over potential abuse, Bamidele outlined safeguards built into the bill, including the establishment of state police commissions, federal oversight mechanisms, uniform national policing standards, strict constitutional procedures for removal of state police leadership, and federal intervention powers in cases of total breakdown of law and order.

In his contribution, Senate Chief Whip, Senator Tahir Monguno, strongly backed the proposal, saying it is “long overdue” and reflects existing realities on the ground. He noted that groups such as Amotekun and Civilian JTF already represent informal versions of state policing, adding that the bill would finally provide them with legal backing and structure, allowing them to “bark and bite” within a regulated framework.

However, Senator Aliero raised a constitutional point of order, warning that any reform must strictly comply with constitutional provisions to avoid legal invalidation. He also argued that Nigeria’s challenge may not be structure alone, noting that with fewer than 400,000 police officers nationwide, the country may need a significant expansion of manpower rather than a structural overhaul.

With strong arguments on all sides, the bill now moves to committee-level scrutiny, where its constitutional, operational, and security implications will be further examined before returning for the next stage of legislative consideration.

AS debate intensifies over the proposed establishment of state police in Nigeria, Chairman of the Nigeria Police Committee on the Establishment of State Police, Prof. Olu Ogunsakin, has clarified that there is no conflict between the constitutional amendment process being driven by the National Assembly and the work of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP)-constituted committee.

Ogunsakin said both efforts are complementary and are directed toward achieving the same objective of creating an effective state policing system capable of addressing Nigeria’s growing security challenges. Speaking on the ongoing process, the professor urged Nigerians to be properly informed to avoid the misconception that the Senate and the IGP’s committee are working at cross purposes.

According to him, while the National Assembly is responsible for creating the legal framework required for state policing through constitutional amendments, the committee is focused on developing the operational, administrative, financial and institutional structures that would guide the implementation of the policy.

He explained that any proposal on state police would remain ineffective without the amendment of relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution, which currently provides for a centralised policing structure.

“The first and most critical step is the amendment of the Constitution. It is the Constitution that currently provides for a centralised policing system in Nigeria. Until those provisions are altered, no state can legally establish or operate its own police force, irrespective of the quality of the proposals being developed by any committee,” Ogunsakin stated.

He dismissed suggestions that lawmakers were attempting to hasten the introduction of state police, describing the ongoing constitutional review as a necessary legal process that must precede implementation.

The committee chairman noted that the proposal being championed by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and other lawmakers seeks to create the constitutional basis for a multi-layered policing system involving the Federal Police and separate police formations across the 36 states.

According to him, a constitutional amendment does not automatically translate into the immediate commencement of state policing.

Beyond the constitutional process, he stressed that significant work remains in developing the operational architecture of state policing. He identified critical areas currently under consideration by the committee to include recruitment standards, training procedures, funding arrangements, command and control structures, intelligence sharing mechanisms, inter-agency collaboration, oversight systems, accountability measures and safeguards against political interference.

According to him, stakeholders and security experts are carefully examining these issues to ensure that any eventual state police system is both effective and accountable. The professor argued that the varying security realities across different regions of the country make it imperative to design a policing framework that responds to local needs while preserving national security interests.

He, therefore, called for patience, informed public engagement and constructive debate on the issue, insisting that attention should be focused on developing a workable model rather than promoting a narrative of rivalry between institutions.

Ogunsakin maintained that a properly structured state police system has the potential to strengthen community-based law enforcement, improve intelligence gathering and enhance the country’s overall security architecture.

He added that the success of the initiative would depend largely on collaboration among the National Assembly, state governments, security agencies, civil society organisations and the wider Nigerian public.

AMID fears of potential risks such as misuse of power by governors and the capacity of less wealthy states to maintain effective forces, a former lecturer and political analyst, Angel Folorunso, has cautioned against the proliferation of unregulated private security outfits in Nigeria, warning that poorly regulated security structures could create new security challenges and undermine national stability.

The analyst examined the legal and security implications of the proposed Iru Ekun security network championed by Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho. According to him, although the worsening security situation across the country has increased public demand for alternative security arrangements, any private security organisation must operate strictly within the provisions of existing laws to avoid creating parallel security structures.

He noted that Nigeria’s private security sector is governed primarily by the Private Guard Companies Act of 1986, which requires security firms to be licensed, wholly Nigerian-owned and supervised by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Folorunso explained that while private security companies are legally recognised, they are prohibited from carrying firearms, adding that armed security functions remain the exclusive responsibility of statutory agencies such as the police, military and Department of State Services (DSS).

“The challenge is that Nigeria’s security realities have evolved significantly, while the legal framework regulating private security remains largely unchanged. This gap has created tensions between community demands for protection and the constitutional monopoly of force vested in the Federal Government,” he said.

Using the proposed Iru Ekun security network as a case study, the analyst observed that the outfit’s legality would depend on whether it operates as a licensed private guard company under existing regulations or attempts to function as an armed regional security force.

He noted that while promoters of the initiative have claimed that relevant documents were submitted to the Federal Government and that the organisation intends to collaborate with security agencies, there has been no official confirmation of operational approval from federal authorities.

Folorunso said concerns have also been raised over possible overlaps with existing regional security arrangements such as Amotekun, as well as the risk of vigilantism and political misuse if adequate regulatory safeguards are not put in place.

He argued that the growing reliance on private security services reflects widespread public dissatisfaction with the country’s security architecture, citing rising cases of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and communal violence.

According to him, available figures indicate that Nigeria has over 1,400 registered private security companies employing hundreds of thousands of personnel, highlighting the increasing role of private actors in safeguarding lives and property.

The analyst, however, stressed that addressing insecurity requires more than expanding private security operations, calling for comprehensive reforms that strengthen public security institutions and improve coordination among security agencies.

This is as it emerged yesterday that Igboho has written to the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, expressing his readiness to deploy personnel of his private security outfit to public schools across the state amid growing concerns over insecurity. The move comes 24 days after the abduction of pupils and teachers during coordinated attacks on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.

In a letter dated June 9, 2026, and obtained by The Guardian in Ibadan on Thursday, Igboho, through his security outfit, Iru Ekun Private Security Limited, requested details of public schools and their locations across Oyo State to facilitate the proposed security arrangement. The correspondence, addressed to the Commissioner for Education and copied to Governor Makinde, stated that the organisation was prepared to partner with the state government in strengthening security around public schools.