By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. | adeyemi@ddnewsonline.com
Editor, DDNews |
The Senate on Thursday took a bold step toward decentralising Nigeria’s security architecture as a bill seeking to establish state police and devolve policing powers to subnational governments scaled second reading.
The proposed legislation, which enjoys broad bipartisan support in the Red Chamber, was referred by Senate President Godswill Akpabio to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution for further legislative action.
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Leading the debate, Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele described the establishment of state police as a critical reform needed to strengthen Nigeria’s internal security framework amid escalating threats across the country.
He said, “The establishment of state police will improve intelligence gathering: Local police officers are better equipped to obtain actionable intelligence from communities because they understand local languages, customs and social structures.”
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Bamidele noted that Nigeria continues to grapple with a wide range of security challenges, including terrorism, banditry, mass abductions, farmer-herder conflicts, cultism, armed robbery, pipeline vandalism, communal clashes, and cyber-enabled crimes.
He argued that the increasing complexity and localised nature of these threats have intensified public calls for state police, as many believe the current centralised policing structure is no longer adequate for the nation’s diverse security realities.
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The Senate Leader stressed that the bill does not seek to undermine national unity but rather to strengthen cooperative federalism.
He explained that the proposed amendment would establish both federal and state police structures, clearly define their responsibilities, create State Police Service Commissions, and enhance collaboration among different levels of government.
Addressing concerns about possible abuse by state governors, Bamidele said the bill includes robust safeguards such as State Police Service Commissions, federal oversight, uniform national standards, and legislative confirmation of senior appointments.
“State Police formations will possess operational flexibility to respond swiftly to security incidents within their jurisdictions,” he added. “It will also relieve pressure on the Federal Police by allowing them to focus on interstate crimes, terrorism, organised criminal networks, border security, and national security operations.”
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Contributing to the debate, Senate Chief Whip Senator Tahir Monguno expressed strong support, saying the bill would provide a legal framework to regulate the growing number of vigilante groups operating across the country.
The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, also backed the proposal, describing it as a necessary step to address Nigeria’s persistent security challenges.
The push for state police has long been one of the most contentious issues in Nigeria’s constitutional reform debates. While supporters argue it will improve response times and intelligence gathering, critics have raised fears of potential abuse by state governments.
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Thursday’s development signals growing legislative momentum in favour of the reform as the country battles widespread insecurity.
DDNewsOnline – Lagos
By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. (Beedee)
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