State Police: Experts Say Time Is Now As Senate Debates Tinubu's Bill Today

By Ejike Ejike, Samson Elijah and Henry Tyohemba, Abuja

Security experts have called for the establishment of state police, saying this would be a critical step towards addressing Nigeria’s persistent security challenges, particularly terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.

They contend that the country’s centralised policing structure has become overstretched amid growing security threats nationwide.

One of the security experts, Iyke Odife, called for the fast-tracking of the process of establishing state police, noting that having only the police at the national level will not address insecurity.

He said, “Now is the time for state police. These local hunters have shown they can do the job and tackle local insecurity; hence, the need to establish state police and recruit experienced local hunters to make them part of the state police, effectively handling local insecurity.”

A retired commissioner of police, Johnson Amen, argued that with local hunters participating in tackling insecurity, the process of establishing state police had commenced.

He stated that local hunters and vigilantes had demonstrated their capacity alongside the Civilian JTF and had made other contributions in different states.

“What is needed is to formalise their activities through the establishment of state police. This will empower them to do more with better equipment and greater determination.

“Nigeria should co-opt these local hunters and vigilantes into state police, and this will enable them to do more. They have been with security agencies, either as Civilian JTF or under other nomenclatures, in different states. With the process of recruitment as state police officers, they will do more,” Amen stated.

A security consultant, Kabiru Adamu, had previously argued that local policing structures were better positioned to understand the peculiar security dynamics of their communities.

He noted that officers recruited from local areas possess better knowledge of the terrain, language and social networks, making it easier to identify criminal elements and prevent attacks before they occur.

Retired military officers and security experts are also in agreement that terrorism and banditry thrive partly because security agencies often struggle to deploy personnel rapidly across Nigeria’s vast territory.

They also expressed the belief that governors, as chief security officers of their states, should have greater control over policing resources so that they can respond effectively to threats.

They argued that the current arrangement often creates delays in decision-making and operational deployment.

Senate to debate Tinubu’s bill today

Meanwhile, the Senate is expected to debate the proposed State Police Bill today following the President’s transmission of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) State Police Bill, 2026.

The bill, which seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to establish a constitutional framework for nationwide state police services, was formally presented to the Senate on Tuesday.

A letter conveying the proposal, dated June 15, 2026, was read on the floor of the Red Chamber by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

In the correspondence, President Tinubu described the proposed legislation as a major step towards addressing Nigeria’s evolving security challenges through a dual policing structure involving both federal and state police services.

“I am delighted to present to the Senate for consideration the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) State Police Bill, 2026, which seeks to amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to create a constitutional pathway for the establishment of state police services in Nigeria,” the President stated.

The bill, he said, builds on previous legislative efforts by both chambers of the National Assembly. According to him, it incorporates safeguards designed to ensure the effective implementation of state policing across the federation.

“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 security challenges will be achieved quickly and effectively for the benefit of all Nigerians,” Tinubu said.

The President described the legislation as a critical component of his administration’s strategy to reform the nation’s security architecture and improve the protection of lives and property.

“The proposed legislation is a critical component of our administration’s strategy to reorganise Nigeria’s security architecture to better protect our citizens, and I am confident that the Senate will act swiftly to consider and pass this bill,” he added.

Following the reading of the letter, Akpabio referred the bill to the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution for further legislative action.

Meanwhile, the Senate President has called on lawmakers to ensure full attendance at today’s plenary, describing the proposed constitutional amendment as a landmark piece of legislation capable of transforming Nigeria’s security architecture.

Speaking during Tuesday’s plenary, Akpabio stressed that constitutional amendments require broad participation and support from lawmakers, urging senators to treat the exercise as a national responsibility.

“Since 1960, Nigeria has not dared to decentralise policing; this is the first time,” Akpabio said.

“As we struggle to become senators, let us also remember the responsibilities that come with the office. It is not enough to secure party tickets and then fail to attend plenary sessions.”

He noted that the proposed amendment would allow for the establishment of state police services while providing adequate safeguards against abuse through subsequent legislation.

According to Akpabio, the initiative would strengthen community-based policing by encouraging greater participation from local governments, traditional institutions, community leaders and youth groups in intelligence gathering and crime prevention.

The Senate President directed the Senate Committee on Constitution Review to submit its report on the bill today to facilitate immediate legislative consideration.

On his part, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele underscored the importance of attendance, noting that constitutional amendments require the support of at least two-thirds of senators.

“We need a minimum of two-thirds of distinguished senators to be able to vote on constitutional alteration. That means it is important for all of us to be here,” Bamidele said.

He described the State Police Bill as a non-partisan national issue that transcends political affiliations and regional interests, urging lawmakers to mobilise their colleagues for the crucial vote.

The Senate adjourned plenary to today, June 24, 2026, at 11 a.m., when lawmakers are expected to debate and vote on the proposed constitutional amendment, a move widely regarded as one of the most significant security reforms in Nigeria’s democratic history.

Kebbi Senator Rejects State Police Bill, Says Timing Suspicious

In his reaction, the Senator representing Kebbi South Senatorial District in the 10th National Assembly, Garba Musa Maidoki, rejected the proposed State Police Bill currently before the National Assembly.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday night, Senator Maidoki expressed doubts about its ability to address Nigeria’s worsening security challenges, saying that its timing is suspicious.

The lawmaker said his opposition was not necessarily to the principle of state policing, but to the manner in which the proposal was being handled and the lack of confidence in the country’s ability to implement existing laws.

According to Maidoki, Nigeria has a history of enacting laws and policies that are poorly implemented.

He said, “When we did the Electoral Act, we thought we had nailed the point that would make Nigeria a follower of the law. But unfortunately, everybody knows what happened at the primaries.

“There is no state where any opposition, no matter how strong you are or how much people like you, will win a local government election. Tell me, how do we trust these people?”

Maidoki further said that the principles behind state policing were not inherently flawed, but insisted that the country should first demonstrate its ability to enforce existing laws before introducing new constitutional arrangements.

“The principles in themselves are not bad. But what we are saying is, we have laws; let’s practise what we have first so that we can see the difference and identify the gaps.

“Whatever is in the law today has no meaning because it has not been practised,” he said.

The lawmaker also criticised the legislative process surrounding the bill, lamenting that lawmakers were given the 146-page draft only hours before it was scheduled for consideration.

“This bill was given to us today, and in less than 24 hours it will be passed. Good practice requires that after public hearings, the draft should be shown to stakeholders who made presentations so they can see whether their views were captured.

“The only people who have this document are members of the National Assembly, and we received it today. Whether you like it or not, it will be passed at second reading,” he added.

The senator also accused lawmakers of often prioritising personal interests over the national interest.

“I have come to the conclusion that every law the National Assembly has made was designed to meet the interests of specific individuals or specific interests, not Nigeria.