President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken a major step towards one of Nigeria’s most debated security reforms, formally asking the Senate to approve a constitutional amendment that would pave the way for the establishment of state police across the country.
The proposal, transmitted to the upper chamber in a letter dated June 15, 2026, seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to create a legal framework for state-controlled police services alongside the existing Nigeria Police Force.
The letter was read on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
If eventually approved by the National Assembly and ratified by state legislatures, the amendment would mark one of the most significant changes to Nigeria’s security structure since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
Tinubu pushes for dual policing system
At the heart of the proposal is the creation of a dual policing framework that would allow both federal and state police institutions to operate within clearly defined constitutional boundaries.
President Tinubu argued that Nigeria’s growing and increasingly complex security challenges require a more decentralised approach to policing.
According to him, the bill builds on previous legislative efforts already undertaken by both chambers of the National Assembly while introducing additional safeguards designed to prevent abuse and ensure effective implementation.
“This bill builds on the significant work already done in this regard by the House of Representatives and the Senate, and incorporates additional safeguards to ensure that the creation of a dual policing structure to address our nation’s evolving national security challenges will be achieved quickly and effectively to the benefit of all Nigerians,” the President stated.
The proposal forms part of the administration’s broader agenda to overhaul Nigeria’s security architecture amid persistent concerns over terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal violence and other criminal activities across various parts of the country.
A long-running national debate
The question of state police has remained one of the most contentious issues in Nigeria’s constitutional and political discourse.
Supporters argue that governors, who are often described as the chief security officers of their states, require direct control over policing structures to respond more effectively to local security threats.
They contend that Nigeria’s highly centralised policing model has become overstretched and insufficient for a country with more than 200 million people and diverse security challenges.
Advocates also point to successful state-backed security initiatives such as Amotekun in the South-West, Ebube Agu in the South-East and various regional vigilante structures as evidence that localised security arrangements can complement federal efforts.
However, opponents of state police have consistently raised concerns about potential abuse by state governments.
Critics fear that governors could deploy state police forces to intimidate political opponents, suppress dissent or influence electoral outcomes, particularly in states with weak democratic institutions.
These concerns have historically slowed efforts to amend the Constitution despite widespread calls for security decentralisation.
Senate begins consideration
Following the reading of the President’s letter, Senate President Akpabio referred the proposed legislation to the Senate Committee on Constitution Review for further legislative action.
The committee has been directed to review the proposal and report back to the Senate on the next legislative day.
The development sets the stage for what is expected to be an intense national conversation involving lawmakers, governors, civil society groups, traditional rulers, security experts and ordinary Nigerians.
Given that constitutional amendments require approval by two-thirds of both chambers of the National Assembly and endorsement by at least 24 state Houses of Assembly, the road to establishing state police remains politically demanding.
Nevertheless, Tinubu’s formal intervention has placed the issue firmly at the centre of national debate.
The Conscience Call
For decades, Nigeria has wrestled with a difficult question: Can a single, centrally controlled police force effectively secure a vast and complex federation?
The push for state police is not merely a constitutional debate. It is fundamentally a conversation about security effectiveness, accountability, federalism and democratic safeguards.
Those who support the proposal see it as a practical response to insecurity. Those who oppose it fear it could create powerful instruments for political abuse at the state level.
The challenge before lawmakers is therefore not simply whether Nigeria should have state police, but how to design a system that delivers security while protecting civil liberties, political freedoms and constitutional rights.
The success or failure of this reform may ultimately depend less on the idea itself and more on the safeguards built around it.
Questions for the Nation
- Will state police improve security outcomes more effectively than the current centralised system?
- What constitutional safeguards are necessary to prevent governors from abusing state-controlled police forces?
- How will funding responsibilities be shared between federal and state governments?
- Can poorer states sustain professional police institutions without compromising standards?
- What mechanisms will exist to resolve conflicts between federal and state police authorities?
- Will state police strengthen Nigeria’s federal structure or create new centres of political power and contestation?
